


Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 1: Arrival

by Jairus



Series: Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Drama, F/M, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:54:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 51
Words: 249,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23996338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jairus/pseuds/Jairus
Summary: A novelization of Final Fantasy VII, based on the original but with elements of the remake added in as well as new content not seen in either to create another version of the classic journey. Cloud and his friends lay down the story in their own words so that others might learn from it and create a better future. See it through their own eyes and experience it like you never have before! Book 1 centers on the portion of the story leading up to the plate collapse and greatly expands upon it. Featuring a wonderful illustration by Genielle Alcantara showing a pivotal moment between Cloud and Jessie.
Relationships: Jessie & Cloud Strife, Jessie Rasberry/Cloud Strife, Jessie/Cloud Strife
Series: Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1982422
Comments: 272
Kudos: 94





	1. FOREWORD

## 

## FOREWORD

_If you're reading this, then you've no doubt heard of us, or at least of what we did. Some say that we're heroes, others call us terrorists and tell us what happened was our fault. And maybe, to a certain extent, it was. I don't think anyone who survived that day is completely without blame, however. We all took our own little piece of the world without giving any thought to how much it might cost us._

_As it turned out, the price was almost too high for us to pay._

_A lot of people since then have tried to understand just what the hell happened and, even more importantly,_ why _it happened. Everyone seems to have a different version of the story, and they usually vary widely from person to person. Some of them tend to be closer to the truth than others, and some, well… to be honest, what I've seen a lot of people say or write about us and our journey is either wrong or flat-out lies._

_Go to pretty much any bookstore today—in Kalm, Junon, or Wutai, for instance—and you can find shelves of books about Meteorfall and the near death of the planet, about us, Shinra, Sephiroth, planet theory, and so on. And the thing is, not one of them ever got it quite right. While I'm sure some of those authors meant well, I think most of them were just in it for the cash. And sadly, there's a hell of a lot of money to be made from selling half-truths and exaggerations and no shortage of people willing to believe every word of it._

_You'd be surprised at what hot sellers so many of these books still are even now, years after the fact. People unfortunately seem to believe what they're told most of the time and only rarely ask themselves whether what they've read and heard is really true. Far too often it's not, or at least not entirely, but most people seem to be so eager to hear only what they want to hear that they don't ever stop to think about things like that. But what we think we know isn't always right._

_I learned the hard way just how easy it is for us to fool ourselves into believing something's true when it isn't and how destructive it can be not just to ourselves, but to everyone around us, too. It's not a lesson you ever forget, trust me. But it's one you can learn from. The nightmare that was our journey to save the planet taught me that._

_The memories of those dark days are still as clear as yesterday in my mind, which is pretty ironic considering what my state of mind was back then. The pain is still there, too. I don't think it'll ever leave, to be honest. Some wounds just go too deep. You can learn to live with them, to accept them, but they'll never really heal. When I close my eyes, I can still smell the acrid stench of processed mako, feel the oppressive heat of Nibelheim burning to the ground, and hear the terrified screams of all the innocent people caught in the crossfire._

_I can see her eyes in my dreams._

_But now isn't the time to worry over what I should or shouldn't have done. It doesn't do any good, trust me. You can't change the past, but you can learn from it. That's what all this is about. You came here looking for the truth, and we're going to give it to you. It won't be pretty, and it won't be pleasant. But it'll be real, I can promise you that._

_It was Nanaki who first came up with the idea. I liked it, but I wasn't very sure how well this little endeavor would work out. After all, it's been several years since then, and although my own memories are still clear, I couldn't say the same for those of my friends. Time has this funny way of eroding those moments in your mind and softening the hard edges as the months and years go by. I suppose it's probably a blessing, but personally, I don't want to forget my pain. I need it. It makes me try harder to avoid repeating the mistakes that caused it in the first place._

_As it turned out though, my friends_ _all remembered that strange and terrible journey as well and as clearly as I did. Saving the world from the workings of a lunatic isn't really something you'd ever forget, especially if you had gone through all the hell we did. It's not something we really talk about all that much, but it was always with us, day after day. It sticks in the back of your mind, and as much as you try to move on, it's always in there waiting for you. Being a hero isn't fun, and it isn't easy. Pain is part of the game if you want to go that way._

_Maybe that's what really brought us all together again, the chance to finally get into the open some of the regrets and fears and difficult choices that have kept all of us up late into the early hours of the morning far too many times to count. It took us the better part of a week to tell the whole story as we all sat around the great bonfire known as the Cosmo Candle, but in the end, I think the weight of my conscience eased a little. I'm sure the others felt much the same way._

_The elders of Cosmo Canyon took our words, wrote them down, and crafted them into a set of thick leather-bound volumes like history books. Come to think of it, that's exactly what they are. Hundreds of years from now, the books of our journey, of our history, will still be here. The elders take exceptionally good care of their records and writings, preserving the knowledge within them for future generations. And Nanaki himself has a pretty long time yet to live, so he'll still be there to watch over everything even after the rest of us—well, most of us, anyway—are long gone. You'll understand what I mean by that later._

_Each of us also had a digital voice recorder so that as we spoke, what we said could still be heard long after we were gone. Reading the books is one thing, but actually hearing us speak about what happened—listening firsthand to the people that had actually gone through it—might be even better and have even more of an impact on you all. We didn't want there to be any mistake about exactly who it was that had put this all together or about the truth behind it._

_I should probably warn you that everything here is presented almost exactly the way we said it. We didn't do too much editing because we felt that, more than anything else, it had to be real no matter how rough the edges might be. Some of the things you'll find out about us in here might surprise you. Everyone knows heroes aren't supposed to be human. They aren't supposed to be just as weak and vulnerable and afraid as everyone else. Or at least that's the bullshit we've always been fed._

_What you have here, what you're reading or listening to,_ _is the truth. Plain and simple. We all took turns telling what happened, what we saw and did, and in that close circle of friends, there were no secrets. Nothing is exaggerated or made up, no matter how strange it might_ _sometimes be. This is our story, told in our own words, seen through our own eyes. But even more importantly, it's her story as well._

_I know she would appreciate it._

— Cloud Strife


	2. ONE

## ONE

This entire mess, or at least our part in it, started with the mission to take out Mako Reactor 1 in Midgar. You've probably heard all about it by now, and that's where most accounts of our journey usually begin, understandably enough. The bombing of the reactor was like lightning striking a charged wire, sending shockwaves all across the city as it set the stage for the terrible firestorm that would later follow.

But I'm not going to start there. That mission didn't just happen on a whim. It took a lot of time, planning, and preparation before we were ready to pull it off. And I think that understanding the events that built up to it is just as important as talking about the bombing mission itself, especially considering what it ultimately led to and the terrible losses it brought about, both in the initial attack itself and in Shinra's brutal act of retaliation that came later.

So with that in mind, I'd have to say it all really began two months before that, when I first walked into Tifa's bar one night. I'd been out of circulation for a while, doing mercenary work here and there, and had only just arrived in Midgar. Tifa had been there at the train station, her hair as long and dark as I remembered as it hung past her hips, though now she had tied it into a neat fishtail at the end.

It had been years since we'd last seen each other. Five, by my count. Tifa was excited, of course, but there was also a wariness in her eyes as we talked that I didn't understand back then. It was like she was trying to figure out if it was really me. But of course it was. I knew that. I was Cloud, her old friend from Nibelheim. I didn't have any doubt about it. Not then, anyway. I knew who I was.

"It's been so long, Cloud!" Tifa smiled. "Why don't you come back with me to Sector 7? I own a bar over there, the _Seventh Heaven._ "

I shrugged. "Alright. Seems like you're doing well."

She chuckled. "I manage. But what about you, Cloud? You said you made it into SOLDIER?"

"Yeah. I left, though. After what happened back home."

Tifa's eyes an unusual blend of brown and a deep red the color of fine wine narrowed ever so slightly for a moment before returning to normal so quickly I wondered if I hadn't just been seeing things. When she spoke, her voice had lost a little of her cheer. Not really surprising, though, considering what I had brought up. "I don't blame you, Cloud. It was a terrible time for us. But enough about that."

We walked off the platform and headed toward the Sector 7 slums, neither of us speaking for a bit. A lone streetlamp lit the area, and over by the train stood a single attendant in his red uniform, helping people disembark. Across from the platform, rows of dark and dead train cars stretched out across a tangled maze of broken and crisscrossing tracks that ran for miles into the distance and formed what was known as the Train Graveyard. A fitting name, especially with the stories and rumors of ghosts and such that supposedly haunted the place. Not that I really believed any of them, mind you. At least, not yet.

Anyway, Tifa and I walked away from the station, making our way through dirt paths and small mountains of discarded junk. There were no real streets down here, just narrow, muddy trails that always seemed to leave muck on your boots. Or worse, depending on where you were. And the air was always choked with a fetid mess of unpleasant sounds and smells, most of all the eye-watering stench of leaking mako, which in many places in the slums was strong enough to make you gag if you tried to breathe too deeply, or even at all.

Quite a contrast to life on Midgar's upper plate, which was as clean and prosperous as the slums were poor and dirty. The travel brochures and television ads all claimed Midgar was the greatest city in the world, where anyone could live like a king all thanks to Shinra's powerful new energy source, mako, which created electricity far more efficiently and cleanly than oil, coal, or other fuels ever could.

But that was only half the story. Midgar was, in essence, two cities. The upper world, powered by Shinra's mako and inhabited by its many employees and their families and anyone else who could afford the life of relative ease and luxury seemingly available for the taking. And then there was the lower world, the city lying beneath the plate, the slums. It was the ugly part of Midgar no one wanted to see, the place for people without money, without resources, and too often, without hope. Gangs and worse thrived down here, and danger was a fact of life.

As we passed through a clearing surrounded by mounds of junk, I noticed a large, fenced-in compound off to my right and a huge square pillar rising up to the underside of the plate far above us. I supposed it helped hold it up, though I didn't know much about it at the time. But I couldn't help feeling a little uneasy as I looked at it.

"It bothers me, too," Tifa murmured.

I glanced at her. "Seems a bit… foreboding."

"I try not to think about it," she agreed. "All that weight up there. I think I'd be too scared otherwise."

"Can't say I blame you," I nodded.

We went on, and about ten minutes later, we found ourselves in the Sector 7 slums, a ramshackle collection of buildings made of discarded sheets of metal, plywood, and whatever else the people here could find amidst all the junk and debris that eventually found its way down here from the plate. The place was, for the most part, just a scattering of tiny makeshift houses sitting forlornly in the dirt that always seem to cover the ground everywhere you looked, but there were two exceptions that caught my eye almost immediately.

The first was a combined inn and weapon shop, a short three-story tower of mismatched metal sheets welded together and connected with ladders and stairs that led from one floor up to the next. The sounds of heavy machinery and people constantly coming and going issued from the open door at the tower's base.

The second was our destination, the _Seventh Heaven._ It was easily the largest building in this section of the slums, with several floors and a wide, curving wooden sign with the bar's name emblazoned upon it. It was also the only building with a porch. The polished oak deck with its high railing almost completely encircled the bar, and a set of several short wooden stairs rose up from the ground to the deck, where a pair of swinging saloon doors marked the main entrance.

"That's the place," Tifa pointed.

I folded my arms in front of me. "Impressive. You _have_ been doing well, Tifa. Looks good."

"Thanks!" she grinned. "It's not much, but it's home."

"You live here, too?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, upstairs. You'll see."

We went inside, where a crowd of people sat huddled at the bar or around one of many polished wooden tables in the room. The bar itself stretched along most of the back wall, and just past it to the right was a door that I supposed led upstairs. In the back right corner of the room, the savory aroma of cooking food wafted out from a small kitchen, and I felt my stomach rumble. It had been a while since I last ate. I couldn't remember how long, though.

Tifa motioned toward the bar. "Why don't you go sit down and I'll get you a drink? Maybe something to eat?"

"Sure, Tif. Sounds good."

"Great!" she replied. "Just make yourself at home, alright?"

I did as she had suggested and headed over to the bar, sliding onto an empty stool. It didn't take long for Tifa to bring me my drink, and I turned to watch the crowd for a bit. Next to me, a guy with short, dark red hair and a blue jacket nursed his own drink, and when he saw Tifa flash me a little smile, he scowled.

"An' justh who the hell are you?" he slurred. "Comin' on in here an' puttin' the moves on my little Tifa?"

I ignored him, not having any desire to trade insults with a drunk. I just sat there, taking a sip from my glass every so often as I wondered about what kind of work there was for a mercenary here in Midgar and if Tifa had any leads. But the guy next to me had other ideas, grabbing my arm and turning me to face him. "Hey now, don't be ignorin' me! I jush ashked ya a question, bro!"

"Cut it out, Johnny," Tifa scolded him. "He's a friend."

Johnny snorted. "A friend, huh? An' jush how good a friend, Tifa? I ain't never sheen him before."

"We grew up together. He just got in town today. And that's all you need to know. Now I think you've had enough, Johnny. Why don't you go on home? Unless you want me to have Barret see you out again. You know how he is when you get rowdy."

He threw up his hands in defeat. "Fine, fine. I'm goin', I'm goin'. But I'll shee ya tomorrow, Tifa."

"I'll bet," she snickered. "You practically live here."

"You only got the best food and drinks and… and uh, you know… in all of Sector 7, Tifa. An' you! Childhood friend! I'll be watchin' you! Don't ya dare make her cry, ya hear? She's an angel of thish here shlum! An angel! Sho you better treat her real good!"

Then he ambled away on unsteady feet, swaying woozily from one side to the other before stumbling out through the doors. When he was gone, I looked back at Tifa, raising an eyebrow. "Was he just… coming on to you back there?"

She smiled. "It's not the first time."

"Didn't think so. You weren't very surprised."

"He's liked me for a long time. I'm not interested, of course. But he _is_ persistent, I'll give him that."

I took another sip of my drink. "So I noticed."

"I can handle him," she assured me.

"I don't doubt it. You still doing your martial arts?"

Tifa nodded. "I've been keeping up with my training for years, ever since Nibelheim. It helps me focus and stay in shape."

"Good. Guess I don't have to kick his ass then if he gets outta line."

She laughed. "He ever tries anything and he'll be lying on the floor in two seconds flat. But Johnny's really not such a bad guy, Cloud. He's actually pretty nice, at least when he's not drinking."

I shrugged. "I'll take your word for it."

Tifa smirked and went off to the kitchen, chatting with a few of her customers along the way. While she did that, I swiveled around on the stool, my back to the bar, and went back to watching the crowd. It was a bit fuller than it had been earlier, with people coming and going, and filled with the murmur of conversation and bits of laughter and cheers, not all of which were entirely sober.

I was just getting ready to take another sip of my drink when I saw the double doors swing inward again as someone else stepped inside. It was a girl, her rich brown eyes bright and filled with warmth. Her long, lustrous auburn hair was pulled back into a thick ponytail and fastened with a red hair tie, and she had a matching red headband neatly tied at her left temple just above her ear. Her bangs hung down over the fabric of her headband, shadowing a pleasant, attractive face, and her cheeks bore the faint impression of dimples.

The girl was slim, shapely, and short, her figure nicely accentuated by the sculpted metal vest she wore, no doubt a custom piece that she'd probably made herself. It fit the contours of her slender body perfectly, highlighting her feminine curves rather than hiding them, and beneath it was a thin, short-sleeved shirt made of links of black chain, probably to cushion the impact of any blows she might receive. And under it all, she wore a dark blue leotard-style top that reached all the way from her abdomen to her neck and fit like a second skin.

Two smooth metal pauldrons protected her shoulders, and the girl wore a pair of black, elbow-length fingerless gloves fitted with polished steel backs and red leather straps fastened around her wrists. Covering her legs were olive green pants that went down to her knees, and below that, metal-reinforced boots shielded her calves and feet, leaving a strip of fair skin visible on each leg at the top of her shins. Around her waist, the girl wore a brown leather belt fitted with a matching square-shaped pouch, its flap closed as it hung at her left hip.

Who was this girl? What sort of work did she do that she had to go around so well-protected? I was curious in spite of myself. And try as I might, I couldn't pull my eyes away from her. I simply sat there looking at her, still holding my glass, and I watched as she walked casually over to one corner of the room and sat down at an empty table. She put her legs up on it, then waved to Tifa before pulling a small tablet out of her belt pouch and beginning to tap on it.

At the same time, I noticed a few rough-looking men sitting in the front glance over at her, then back at each other, a silent signal of some sort passing between them. What was going on here? And what did the men want with her? The girl didn't seem to have noticed, engrossed as she was in her work, and my eyes narrowed as I watched her unsavory observers gazing at her intently.

They wore tattered sleeveless blue jean jackets that hung open over their bare, muscled chests, and on their thick hands were red fingerless gloves stained with blood and dirt. Some of the men were bald, but the others were all sporting bright orange mohawks. I was sure they hadn't been here earlier but must have followed the girl inside, probably while I was so engrossed in looking at her. I didn't much like what was going on here and glanced at her again, and it was right at that very moment that she looked up and her eyes met mine.

The girl blinked, obviously surprised to see me. I supposed she was a regular here and knew most of the people who came to the bar. Since I was a new face, though, it had to have caught her off guard. I nodded to her, and she gave me a small, shy smile before returning to her work. I didn't get up to join her, though, wanting to keep a close eye on those goons that were so interested in her.

Their tiny, beady eyes watched the girl with a cold, predatory gaze that immediately set my nerves on edge. I knew what kind of men they were. Punks and thugs, all of them. Gang members of some kind. They waited though, and so did I. Tifa brought the girl a steaming platter of hot food and a cold drink, chatting with her for a bit before heading off again. The crowd was certainly keeping her busy tonight.

After about half an hour, the girl finally pushed back her plate and stood up, brushing off her pants and slipping her tablet back inside her belt pouch. She waved at Tifa again, smiled, and pushed the two saloon doors open before heading back outside. Almost at once, the six goons got up and left as well, no doubt intending to follow her.

I turned back to call to Tifa, but she was already there. "I'm sorry I haven't gotten to your dinner yet, Cloud. It's been pretty hectic tonight. But those guys, I don't like the looks of them."

"Neither do I, Tif. I think they're after that girl."

Tifa sighed. "I saw them watching her, too. I was just hoping I was wrong. Cloud, that girl… she's a friend of mine. She's probably walking home, and I don't think she knows she's being followed. I've taught her some of my martial arts, but she's still learning and hasn't been doing it as long as I have, and I'm afraid it just won't be enough. Please help her, Cloud. I'm worried about her."

I stood up and put down my glass. "I'll handle it."

She flashed me a grateful smile and went back to work as I hurried outside. I couldn't see anyone, but there were fresh tracks in the dirt, so I crept down the path, reaching over my shoulder to draw my sword. It was a huge blade at least a foot wide with a sharp, angled tip at the end and two materia slots at its base just above the hilt. In each one glowed a bright green orb, pulsing with magic. I hoped that I wouldn't have to use it, but I was ready if it came to that. I gripped Buster firmly in both hands and followed the trail.

It was barely five minutes later that I heard a startled cry from just around the corner, and I sprang into a run, keeping to the shadows as I went in order to retain the element of surprise. I rounded the bend and saw that the thugs had cornered the girl in a narrow alley formed from two high rows of broken scrap metal. None of them had seen or heard me yet, and I edged closer, hugging one wall and staying out of sight as long as possible so I could get the jump on them.

The girl held her own at first, kicking one goon in the stomach and hitting another with a swift backhand punch to his jaw. It couldn't last, though. She was too badly outnumbered. The men all carried weapons as well, long knives and lead pipes. One of them reached out, grabbing her by the ponytail, and yanked hard, pulling her back. She cried out in pain but swung her arm around in spite of it and smashed her fist into the goon's mouth. She was tenacious, that was for sure. Her attacker fell back, blood pouring down his chin.

But before she could do anything else, she staggered and fell, a lead pipe slamming squarely into her back. The rest of the men closed in on her at once, kicking and punching, and threw her against the wall. Two of the thugs held her arms while another pulled out a knife and strode up to her like a snake closing in on its prey. The girl flinched but didn't waver as he pressed the tip against her throat.

"We gonna teach ya not to go stealin' from us, missy," he said. "You gonna pay us back, you will. One way or another."

"Funny," she shot back. "I thought you stole it first."

He slapped her across the cheek. "You got a pretty smart mouth on you, girl. Gonna get you in trouble, it will. We gonna make you squeal, little miss. Yes, we will. In more ways than one."

"Don't count on it," I growled.

He whirled around, but I was already on him, springing out of the shadows in an instant and slashing him across the chest from shoulder to hip. The thug fell, dead before he hit the ground. While I fended off attacks from the others, the girl seized the opportunity and yanked her arms free, ducking as the two goons who had been holding her tried to grab her again but caught only air. She dove forward and sprang to her feet, her fists raised and her back to mine.

"You've got incredible timing, you know that?" she said. "I thought I was a goner for sure!"

I shook my head. "Not happening."

"Wow! Talk about heroic! You got a name?"

"Save it for later," I admonished her. "We've got work to do."

She nodded. "Right, sorry. Let's teach these bozos a lesson. They're sure gonna regret crossing us!"

The rest of the thugs the four that were still standing charged at us, swinging their weapons and snarling with rage. I blocked one strike and slammed away a second, metal clanging against metal. The girl hit one of the men with a flurry of punches, then finished with a high kick to his chest that sent him sprawling onto his back. Cutting down one of the other thugs, I was just bringing Buster back up when another of the men managed to slice his knife across the side of my shoulder. I gritted my teeth against the sudden pain, blocked everything out of my mind, and called upon the materia's magic.

Seconds later, a sparkling bolt of electricity shot out from my hand and slammed into the thug, scorching him and leaving him a smoking ruin on the ground while the girl hit the last of her attackers with a few quick jabs to his side. He fell back for a moment, then charged right at her. She was ready for him, though. When he reached her, she grabbed him with both hands and used his own momentum to throw him over her shoulder into the dirt. The surviving thugs got up, took one look at us, and ran off into the night.

"Whew!" the girl sighed. "Guess that'll teach me to be more careful about where I get my supplies."

I slid Buster back into place. "You okay?"

"Yeah, thanks to you. I've never had anyone come to my rescue like that before. You were really amazing!"

"It wasn't much," I shrugged.

She grinned. "Ha! Humble, too. I like it. But anyway, would you tell me your name? I… I'd really like to know."

"Cloud," I said. "Cloud Strife."

She held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Cloud. I'm Jessie."

I shook it. Her grip was surprisingly firm considering how delicate her fingers looked. They were much smaller than mine. A flutter swept through my stomach at her touch, and just like in the bar, I found I had a hard time looking away from her. Jessie's deep brown eyes held me as securely as her hand. But eventually, they both let go.

"Likewise," I replied. "So why were these guys after you? There has to be a reason."

Jessie swallowed. "Well, it's… kind of a long story."

"Can't say I'm surprised. Think they'll bother you again?"

"I don't know," she said. "I needed special materials for a… project I'm working on. Stuff you can't find in any old shop. But the Vice gang gets its hands on all sorts of things, most of it stolen. They usually stick to their territory in Sector 5, but I guess I had to have made them really mad for them to have come after me here."

"No kidding," I agreed. "Stealing from thieves will do that."

Jessie laughed. "I guess you're right, Cloud. I'll have to stay clear of them from now on. But "

I blinked as she cut herself off. "What is it?"

"Cloud, you're bleeding!" she pointed to my arm.

I'd forgotten about the cut I'd gotten earlier from the thug's knife. It hurt a little, but it didn't look all that serious. I shook my head. "It's not bad, Jessie. Just a scratch."

She grimaced. "You should still get it patched up."

"I guess so," I replied.

"Listen, Cloud. My place isn't far from here. I have a first aid kit in there, so why don't you let me take care of that cut for you? It's the least I can do for my hero, after all."

I nodded. "Alright. Let's mosey."

" _Mosey!?"_ Jessie burst out laughing. "Oh, I'm _definitely_ gonna have to remember that one!"

She kept laughing as she led me through the slums until we finally came to a small shack near the edge of the little town. Like most of the others, it was made of scrap metal and wood bolted together to form a makeshift house. Jessie pulled out a key from her pocket, unlocked the door, and opened it. After putting the key back, she stepped inside, and I followed her, closing the door behind me.

"Well, here we are," Jessie chuckled. "Home sweet home."

The place had only two rooms. In the main one, a small bed with a set of plain cotton linens stood neatly made. Something that passed for a kitchen was in a far corner, with a little refrigerator, a sink, and an old iron stove. In the other corner was a doorway with a thin faded blanket hanging from the ceiling in place of a door, and past it must have been the bathroom. It was a cozy enough place, I supposed. A single lamp lit the main room as I looked around.

"Nice," I told her. "You keep it pretty clean."

Spotless would have been a better description. Everything here was scrubbed, polished, folded, or otherwise neat and tidy. On her wooden dresser sat a few assorted items, all carefully arranged, and above it was a small, round mirror without so much as a single streak. Jessie's home was a veritable monument to sparkle and shine, and even the walls and floor had been scrubbed. I had to admit, I was impressed.

She smiled. "Thanks. I didn't used to be this way, you know. I was a regular slob when I was younger, believe it or not."

"What made you change?" I wondered.

"My mom was always a bit of a clean freak, and we used to argue a lot about my room. How much of a mess it was. Back when I was a kid, and later as a teenager. But… she died a couple years ago. I loved her a lot, Cloud. And I miss her. So one day, I started keeping my place clean for her. Kinda my way of honoring her memory."

I nodded. "I think I get it. Didn't mean to bring up bad memories, though. Sorry."

"It's okay," Jessie patted my arm. "You didn't."

"Glad to hear it," I replied.

She pointed to the bed. "Now go have a seat and I'll be back in just a minute, alright?"

I nodded and did as Jessie had told me, and she went into her little bathroom. She returned a moment later with the first aid kit and got to work, wiping off the wound on my shoulder with a clean cloth. Taking out a brown plastic bottle, she opened it and poured a little iodine onto another cloth. "I'm afraid this'll sting a bit, Cloud, but it'll keep that cut from getting infected. You ready?"

"Yeah, Jessie," I told her. "Go ahead."

She sat down beside me and pressed the cloth against my shoulder. It did sting, as she had said, but it wasn't too bad. As she worked, Jessie glanced up at me from time to time, giving me a reassuring smile when she did. When she was finished, she closed the bottle of iodine and put it away. Then she took out a roll of gauze bandage, a slight grin curling lips that were soft, pink, and nicely full. "We're almost done, Cloud. Bet you never thought you'd end up in my bed tonight, huh? Don't get any bright ideas, though. I'm not that kinda girl."

"Ideas about what?" I blinked.

"Oh, you are _so_ cute when you play dumb, you know that?"

I smirked. "Who's playing?"

"Ha!" Jessie giggled. "You _do_ have a sense of humor. Maybe there's a crack in the ice after all."

"Better not tell anyone," I said.

She winked. "I can keep a secret, Cloud. Guess you've got a certain image to maintain, huh?"

"Something like that," I agreed.

"I figured. You don't seem like the talkative type."

I couldn't really argue with her. "No, not really. Just the way I am, I guess. I'm not much for words."

"That's alright," Jessie purred. "I like quiet guys."

"Is that so?" I raised an eyebrow.

She used a pair of scissors to cut a strip of bandage off the roll and began carefully winding it around my arm. "Yeah. Maybe because I like to talk a lot sometimes—you've probably already noticed—and it's nice to meet someone who doesn't mind listening."

"I don't," I admitted.

Jessie smiled as she fastened the bandage in place with a few pieces of medical tape. "Cloud… I meant to say this before, but… thank you. Thank you for saving me."

I nodded. "You're welcome."

She kept smiling as she sat back. "All finished!"

I glanced down at my arm where Jessie had bandaged it. The white gauze was fit snugly around my left bicep just below my shoulder. The wound didn't hurt so much now. I flexed my arm experimentally a few times and touched the bandage, admiring Jessie's handiwork. She really had done well with it. I looked up at her.

"It's a good field dressing," I said. "Thanks."

Her eyes sparkled. "My pleasure, Cloud. It was my first one."

I was starting to stand up when a flaring bolt of pain suddenly shot through my head and I winced, sitting back down and clutching at my forehead with my right hand. My vision blurred for a moment, and for just a second I didn't know where or even who I was. Then it was gone, my sight and memory back to normal in an instant. From what seemed like someplace far away, I heard Jessie calling out to me.

"Cloud! Are you alright!?"

I shook my head to clear the cobwebs from my mind. "Yeah, Jessie. I'll be fine. It's just a headache."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "It was really sudden."

"I'm sure," I nodded.

Jessie took a small vial out of her first aid kit. "Here, why don't you drink this? It'll help with that cut and maybe your head, too."

I took the potion and downed it in a few quick swallows. The fluid was pale blue in color, and I nearly gagged at the taste. You'd think that healing potions would taste good, but they don't. It's sort of like cough syrup, only a lot worse and not nearly as thick.

"Yummy, huh?" Jessie snickered.

I held it out to her. "You want some?"

"None for me, thanks," she laughed. "I can't stand them. But you're just _so_ considerate, aren't you?"

"Just trying to share the experience," I said.

Jessie stood up, her eyes dancing. "Ha! I'll bet! But I think I'll pass. How about something to wash it down?"

"Sounds good," I agreed.

She went into the kitchen area, rummaging through the fridge and a pair of small cabinets. "So how did you know to come looking for me out there in the first place?"

"Tifa sent me to give you a hand," I answered. "We both saw those thugs in the bar. They left right after you did, and we knew they had be after you. So I followed them. You know the rest."

She beamed at me. "I sure do."

"I should probably be getting back soon," I realized. "She'll want to know you're alright."

"Oh, hold on, I'll just shoot her a text and tell her the good news. I mean… if you want to stick around a little longer, that is. I don't get to entertain company very often, you know."

I didn't mind. "Sure, go ahead."

Jessie took her phone out of her pocket and sent Tifa the message, then slipped it back inside and took two small glasses out of one of the cabinets. After that, she reached into the fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine. Deftly closing the refrigerator with one foot, she walked back over to the bed and carried the items to a small wooden side table nearby. Jessie put the bottle and glasses on the table before sitting back down next to me and pulling it close.

"I've been saving this for a special occasion," she said as she poured the wine. "And this certainly qualifies."

I took the glass she handed me. "I suppose so."

"To new friendships," Jessie toasted, raising her own glass. I did the same, and she touched hers to mine. There was a soft clink as they met, and then we drank, our eyes locked on each other for a moment before we both looked away. The wine was good, relaxing, and cleared up the taste of the potion quite nicely. Jessie and I sat together for a while, just sipping our drinks and not saying much.

Eventually, I swallowed the last of my wine and put my glass down. "Guess I should be going. It's getting late."

"I suppose you're right," Jessie nodded. "It's been fun, Cloud."

"Yeah," I agreed, standing up.

She put her glass down on the table as well and got up. "I really did have a great time. Once we took care of those thugs, that is. We made a pretty good team back there, didn't we?"

"We're standing, they're not. Good enough for me."

"Me too! So are you going to be sticking around here for a while?" Jessie wondered as we headed for the door.

I shrugged. "Maybe. I don't really know yet."

"Well, don't be in a hurry to leave, alright? I visit the bar a lot, so if you're there too, I'm sure we'll run into each other."

"Probably," I said.

Jessie smiled at me when we stepped outside, and for the first time, I realized just how short she was. I stood half a foot taller than her, and the top of her head just reached my eye level, her petite figure dwarfed by my larger body. We stood there for a moment, and suddenly I didn't know what to say to her. Jessie seemed to be having the same struggle, but I didn't know why or what it meant.

After a minute, she slid a hand shyly through her hair. "Goodnight, Cloud. You be careful out there, okay?"

"Always. See you around, Jessie. Thanks for the drink."

"Anytime," she grinned.

I started to walk away, then looked back at her for a moment. "And if those thugs try to mess with you again, call me."

Jessie nodded. "Count on it."

She waved, and I lifted a hand in response. Then, as she went back into her little house, I walked through the meandering dirt roads of the slums to the _Seventh_ _Heaven._ My first day in Midgar had been eventful, to say the least. I'd found an old friend and made a new one, too. It was certainly an interesting place, and there were sure to be different jobs I could do to bring in some cash.

But as I approached the wooden steps leading up to the bar's main entrance, I remembered what Jessie had told me about why those thugs had attacked her. Some special project she was working on, something that needed certain rare materials that she'd swiped from the Vice gang to get. What was it, exactly? Did Tifa know about it? I couldn't be sure, but it had to be complicated if it involved stolen goods. I knew I wasn't getting any answers for now, though, so I opened the doors and headed inside to eat and find a place to lay down for the night.


	3. TWO

## TWO

"So, Tifa," I asked. "Any jobs around here I can do?"

It was early morning of the following day, light peeking in through the windows of the _Seventh Heaven._ I was finishing breakfast as I sat at the bar, but the room was empty except for Tifa and I. As it was posted on the sign next to the door outside, the _Seventh Heaven_ wouldn't open until later in the day. It was pretty much a dinner and drinks place and was barely inhabited until evening. I liked it better this way, though. It was a lot quieter, and I'd never been fond of crowds.

After returning from Jessie's place last night, I had eaten the dinner that Tifa had kept in the oven for me. When I was finished, she had led me upstairs to a spare room just down the hall from her own. Inside it was a bed with a clean sheet and pillow. We had sat and talked for a bit, and she had thanked me for helping Jessie. I had thought about asking Tifa about her, but at the time, I'd just been too tired to worry about it. So after putting my things aside, I had just told Tifa goodnight instead. Smiling, she had said the same before leaving the room, but I'd already been laying down by then and had been asleep in moments.

Tifa sat a few stools to the right, nibbling on her own food. "What did you have in mind?"

"Swordwork," I answered. "Something where I can put my skills to use and earn some money. That's why I came here."

She pursed her lips in thought. "I might have a few ideas."

"Such as?" I asked.

"The slums aren't exactly the safest place to live, Cloud. And thugs aren't the only danger. Monsters wander around down here, picking off anyone they can find. Nothing you couldn't handle, but most people in this place don't have your talents."

I looked at her. "So what's the job?"

"I have a friend who patrols the outskirts every day for a few hours and takes out any monsters he finds, as many as he can. And that used to be enough to keep them away from town. But lately, there have been a lot more of them, and they've been showing up closer to home, too. I don't have any idea why, though."

"Go on," I told her.

She nodded. "We could really use your help, Cloud. Give my friend a hand out there and I'll pay you from the bar's funds for every kill you make. And if you do good enough, well… it could lead to other work if you really want it."

"What sort of work?" I wondered.

"We can talk about that later," Tifa answered. "So what do you say, Cloud? Will you help us?"

As long as it paid well, I didn't have any problem with it, although I was curious about what she had meant by other work. But I figured she wasn't about to tell me right now, so I pushed back my plate and folded my arms in front of me. "I'm in. When do I start?"

"Today, if you want. He's out there right now, actually."

That was fine with me. "Alright. A hundred gil a head. If they even have heads, that is."

"Fifty," Tifa countered. "Let's start small and work our way up."

I shook my head. "Seventy-five. I've got expenses."

She smirked at me. "Sixty. Final offer."

"Deal," I agreed. "Anything else?"

"That's about it, Cloud," Tifa said. "Oh, there was one other job you could do, too, if you want."

"What's that?"

She looked at me. "The attack on Jessie last night got me thinking. She makes deliveries every day as part of her job she fixes and sells all kinds of computers, tablets, and other gadgets as well as equipment for water filtration and storage and with all the trails around here getting more dangerous lately, I'd feel a lot better if someone would go with her to keep her safe and walk her home at night."

"I'll take care of it," I said.

She smiled. "Thanks. I can pay you a fee for every safe escort, same as for when you wipe out monsters in the outskirts."

"No," I shook my head. "Not necessary."

"Are you sure?" Tifa blinked.

I was. "This one's on me, Tif. But _only_ this one."

Tifa chuckled as she stood up. "That's awfully sweet of you, Cloud. I'm sure Jessie will appreciate it."

"Don't tell her," I said. "I don't want her to know."

"Why not?" she asked.

I wasn't entirely sure myself. "I guess it just… might make things a little awkward. I'd rather Jessie didn't find out I was helping her for free after turning down a chance to get paid for it."

"She must have made quite an impression on you," Tifa murmured. "What should I say to her?"

"Everything you said except the part about offering to pay me. Just leave that out, Tif."

She nodded. "Alright, Cloud."

"Thanks," I replied, standing up. "And, uh… don't tell anyone else, either, alright? This is strictly between us."

"Of course," Tifa smiled. "I won't say a word."

I walked toward the door. "Good. So where am I supposed to meet this friend of yours?"

"At the east edge of town. It's not far."

"Better tell him I'm coming, Tif," I told her. "I want to get started as soon as possible."

She took out her phone. "I'll let him know."

"What about Jessie?" I asked.

"She usually starts making her deliveries around noon, so be at her shop by then. It's just down the road from here."

I nodded. "Got it. I'll be back later."

Stepping outside, I hurried down the stairs and onto the dirt road. As did, I saw a blur of movement from out of the corner of my eye and looked to the left to see a red-haired woman in a light blue blouse back away from the window in a hurry. She started to dash toward the stairs but froze when the doors opened and Tifa walked outside and planted her hands firmly on her hips.

"Derla!" she frowned. "Are you snooping again?"

The other woman shook her head. "N-No, Tifa! I swear! I was just walking by and was curious when I saw your new friend in there. I just came up here to get a better look, that's all."

Tifa's eyes narrowed. "In other words, snooping."

"Oh! That's so rude!" Derla fumed.

"So's spying on people," Tifa shot back. "Now get lost!"

Derla ran down the stairs and brushed past me but turned around to glare at Tifa. "Just you wait! I'm gonna get the scoop on your friend, you'll see! It'll be big! Really big!"

Then she ran away. After she was gone, I glanced over my shoulder at Tifa. "Who the hell was that?"

"Derla," Tifa sighed. "The local gossip."

"What's her deal?"

Tifa crossed her arms beneath her considerable chest. "She's always sneaking around and butting into everyone's business. I've had to shoo her away from here more than a few times. She's nosy as hell, spreading rumors and stories to whoever's willing to listen. Trouble is, she usually only gets about half of it right at any given time. And that's caused a lot of frayed nerves amongst the people here."

"Think she'll be a problem?" I frowned.

"I don't know, Cloud," Tifa said. "But I'll keep an eye on her."

Putting it out of my mind for now, I nodded and walked down the road, stepping aside as some kids ran past, a boy in a white T-shirt and shorts chasing after a little girl in a green skirt and blouse. Ignoring the ruckus of their teasing and laughter, I sighed and went on. People came and went all around the slums, walking down the road or ducking into buildings or side streets, and a bustle of activity filled the place despite the gloominess of the surroundings.

Like me, most people went on foot to get anywhere. I noticed a few rusted cars parked here and there, but I didn't see anyone actually drive one. And with how narrow and dirty most of these roads were, I wasn't sure it would have been a good idea anyway. Not that most people here could have afforded one in the first place.

I drew a few curious looks from passersby but paid no attention to them as I made my way towards the eastern edge of the shanty town. It wasn't long before I got there. Only a few people wandered around out here, and it was quieter than in the middle of the settlement, for which I was more than a little glad. I looked around, scanning the area for the guy Tifa had told me about. She hadn't said what he looked liked, but I figured I'd know him when I saw him.

"Hey!" a voice called. "Over here! You're Cloud, right?"

I looked to my right to see a large guy with a red bandana walking toward me. He didn't seem to be much more than a kid, his round face not having a trace of hair anywhere on it. Not that mine did, either, but I was sure I was still a good couple of years older than him. Like Jessie, he wore metal pauldrons on his shoulders, though his were bigger and went down almost to his elbows.

Over his light yellow shirt, the guy wore a wide leather ammo belt filled with rounds, and a row of hand grenades hung from another belt fastened over the waistband of his dark blue shorts. Cradled within his bare forearms was a large black firearm, a combination assault rifle and flamethrower, and his fingers held it comfortably as he grinned at me, tufts of dark hair hanging beneath his bandana.

I sighed. "Yeah. That's me."

"Great! I'm Wedge! Tifa called and said you were gonna come and give me a hand out here. I gotta say, I can't wait to see what you can do! I hear you're really good with that sword of yours!"

"Just tell me what I need to know," I said.

He motioned to where the road led away from the village and into an empty region lined with piles of discarded junk. "Well, okay. There's a bunch of different towns all across the slums, and in between them is where most of the monster attacks have been happening, out along the empty roads that run through there."

"Where are the monsters coming from?"

"Dunno," Wedge shrugged. "Nobody does, really. Some say they're sneaking in from the badlands outside. Others say they escaped from a Shinra research facility. There are a few different kinds, but usually we just see eaters out here by Sector 7."

I frowned. "Eaters?"

He nodded. "Whole eaters. Buglike things with lots of legs and big mouths. They're pretty fast and attack in packs. They also hang around that abandoned expressway over in Sector 6, I think."

"Fine," I brushed past him. "Let's go."

"Sure thing! Oh, and Tifa told me what you did for Jessie last night. She's a friend of mine, too. Thanks for helping her out, Cloud. I'm glad she's okay. Maybe we can all go to the bar later on and have a drink and some food and hang out for a while."

I shook my head as I walked away. "Not interested."

"Well, maybe some other time," he said.

I doubted it. I didn't mind seeing Jessie, there was something about her that intrigued me. But I didn't want to be sociable with anyone else. I was here to make money, not more friends. That was all I really cared about, and it was the only reason I had come out here with Wedge. But instead of being mad or offended, he just shrugged off my indifference and followed me as I made my way into the outskirts.

* * *

"Hi, Tifa!" Jessie chirped over the phone. "What's up?"

I was inside the _Seventh Heaven,_ wiping down the bar with a clean rag and getting things ready for tonight's crowd. It was about eleven in the morning, and Cloud was still busy fighting eaters with Wedge. He'd be back soon for lunch, though, before leaving again to escort Jessie on her deliveries for the day. Monster and bandit attacks didn't happen as much during the day as they did at night, but it wasn't unheard of. And as I had told Cloud earlier, there had been more of them lately. At least this way, Jessie would be safe.

She was like my little sister, even though at twenty-three Jessie was actually three years older than I was. I guess being so small and slender made her seem younger than she actually was. I didn't think there was anyone in Sector 7 who wasn't taller than her besides the kids that were always playing around outside. But Jessie had more than enough spunk and spirit for someone twice her size.

I tucked the phone beneath my chin as I worked. "Just checking in on you, Jessie. You gave me a hell of a scare last night."

"Sorry," she said. "I was lucky Cloud showed up when he did."

"You sure were! You've got to be more careful. I know you need the parts, Jessie, but it's not worth getting hurt or worse. Not even for what we're doing. Your life is much more important."

Jessie didn't argue. "I know, Tifa. And I will, I promise. Thanks for sending Cloud after me."

"Just looking out for my kid sister," I smiled.

"Ha! I thought you were _my_ little sister, Tifa! But really, you should have seen Cloud in action! He was incredible! He swept in right in the nick of time and saved my bacon! It was like being in one of those silly action movies and he was the hero coming to rescue me."

I laughed. "I guess you like him, then."

"He _is_ really cute," Jessie gushed.

"Can't argue with that. He'll be over there to see you at noon before you head off to start your deliveries."

Her voice was an excited squeal. "Really!?"

"Yeah. I asked him to go with you and make sure you get to where you're going in one piece. And he'll be walking you home at night, too. Those thugs nearly killed you, Jessie. I'm not about to risk letting them have another chance at it."

"I hear you there," Jessie agreed. "Thanks."

I went on. "You can thank me by sticking close to Cloud whenever you two are out there traveling across the slums. And by not taking any more stupid risks such as stealing from dangerous criminal syndicates like the Vice gang. Is that clear?"

"Like a bell. Tifa… do you think he'll help us?"

"You mean about what we're planning?" I asked. "I'm not sure. But I hope so. We could definitely use him."

Jessie laughed. "I'll say! If he keeps on fighting as good as he looks, we'll be in great shape!"

"I think so, too. But I still have to convince Barret."

"Yeah," she replied. "That's not gonna be easy, though, is it?"

I shook my head. "You know how he is, Jessie. That's why I offered Cloud some other work in the meantime. Something Barret can see for himself. If Cloud does well enough—and I'm sure he will—that'll show Barret we can rely on him and that he can do the job."

"I hope you're right, Tifa. Should I… should I tell Cloud what we're up to? Or keep my cards close to the chest?"

"Don't say anything," I answered. "I'll tell him when it's time."

"Got it. Anything else?"

There was, actually, now that I thought about it. "Do you still have that gun Biggs gave you?"

"Yeah," Jessie said. "It's at home. Why?"

"You should take it with you on your trips, just in case. And go get some target practice while you're at it. It'll be better for you if you have something to fall back on. And while we're on the subject, I'd like to do some more sparring with you this week, too."

Jessie giggled. "Yes, Mother."

"Smartass," I grinned. "I'm just worried about you, Jessie."

"I know you are, Tifa. And I really appreciate what you're doing for me. What you're having Cloud do for me."

I smiled. "Hey, that's what sisters are for, right?"

"You bet! Oh, and Tifa, I know I was a total idiot for stealing from Vice, but that microchip did do the trick."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

Jessie snickered. "You bet! Those guys didn't even know what they had. They just steal whatever they can get their hands on and sell it if it looks valuable enough. But, Tifa, it does work! I tested it this morning. The casing's ready, so we only need a few more components along with the access codes and we'll be in business!"

"Barret'll be happy to hear that," I sighed.

"Are you okay, Tifa?"

I stopped scrubbing the bar for a moment and leaned against it. "I don't know, Jessie. I just… I'm concerned about where this is all going, About what we're trying to do. Putting up posters across the slums and talking to people is one thing, but this…"

"I get what you're saying," Jessie said. "And I'd be lying if I told you I didn't have any doubts myself. But nothing's gonna change if we don't do something more than just posting a few signs here and there. We all hate Shinra and what it's doing. This is our chance to make something happen and send them a message they won't forget."

"I suppose you're right," I said. "But I'm still worried."

Jessie chuckled. "I know. You always are. But that's what makes you such a good sister."

"Thanks, Jessie. You take care, okay?"

"You too, Tifa," she said. "Bye!"

We both hung up, and I slid my phone into the front pocket of my black miniskirt. Although I knew Jessie was right in that we needed to take more definitive action for our cause, unease still filled my heart at the thought of what we were going to do. I knew that if we did succeed, Shinra wouldn't let it go unanswered. And that scared me and had kept me awake at night more than once lately. But there wasn't much I could do about it. I knew Barret wouldn't change his mind. Our path was set. Another month, maybe two, and we would be ready.

I only hoped we wouldn't regret it.

And then there was Cloud. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something a bit odd about him. He was himself, and yet he wasn't. Maybe my memories were just playing tricks on me. It had been a long time since we had last seen each other, after all. Not since we were kids. But I couldn't quite bring myself to believe that. I would have to watch him for a while longer to be sure. Since he was so interested in money, I knew I had a way to keep him around. Paying him to clear out eaters with Wedge was a start, at least. And it would keep him busy, as would escorting Jessie on her trips. So I still had time.

I just hoped it would be enough.

* * *

"Cloud, there you are!" Jessie smiled, rising from her chair. "Come to be my hero again?"

I nodded. "If need be. You ready?"

We were in her shop, a small building of wood and metal sheets. It actually seemed to be a bit bigger than her house, but considering what she did for a living, I could see why. Shelves of assorted computer parts and electronics lined the back wall, and along the left side of the room leaned a large collection of pipes, tanks, pumps, filters, and other water filtration and storage equipment. Behind a long L-shaped desk that sat across from the door, Jessie turned to the computer next to her, tapped a few keys, and then turned it off. "I'll be just a minute, okay? Gotta get everything together first."

Stepping over to the shelves, she scanned them for a minute before taking a few items off and putting them in a small wooden crate sitting on her desk. When she was finished, Jessie walked over to the left wall where the water supplies were, tapped her tablet a few times, then took a pair of small tanks, a filter of some kind, and a few valves and placed them in the crate as well. She swung the lid closed, latched it, and tried to pick it up but without much success.

"Packed it a bit too heavy this time, I guess," she chuckled, flashing me a sheepish grin. "How about giving a girl a hand, Cloud?"

I walked over to Jessie and took hold of the crate. "Guess you don't travel light, do you?"

She laughed. "Not really. Keeps me in business, though."

"Where do you want it?" I asked.

"I've got a little cart outside you can put it on," Jessie said. "There's no way I could carry that thing everywhere."

I followed her out the door. "You get around?"

"Yep! All over the slums, Cloud. I'm a girl in demand. People need fresh water to drink and for their vegetable gardens and such. And I do a lot of on-site repairs and service, too. Both for water filtration as well as the gadgets and tech support."

Jessie led me around to the left side of her workshop, where a small cart with a slim metal handle on the back stood next to the outer wall. While she held the cart steady, I carefully put the crate inside. I glanced at her when I was finished. "All set."

"Thanks!" she replied. "I'll just roll it along as we walk."

Grasping the handle, Jessie turned the cart around so it was facing the road. Then we got moving, walking to the front of her shop, where she paused for a moment to duck inside. When she came back out, she was holding a small black toolbox in one hand. She slid it into the cart next to the crate, then locked the door before taking hold of the handle again and getting underway.

I motioned to the cart. "Got everything now?"

"Yeah, sorry," Jessie answered. "Almost forgot my tools. Not gonna get much work done without them. Oh, and that reminds me, Cloud. I need to stop by my place first before we head out. I promised Tifa that I would take something with me when we go traveling."

"Alright. What is it?"

She smirked. "You'll see. It's just something to help us stay safe out there. Should've had it with me last night, I suppose. But I kinda forgot to bring it because I don't usually carry it all the time."

We got to Jessie's house just a few minutes later, and while I waited outside, she went in and retrieved whatever it was Tifa had wanted her to get. After a moment, Jessie returned, a gun in one hand and a clip in the other. She slapped the clip in place with practiced ease, then tucked the gun into the back of her belt.

"Not bad," I told her.

"Thanks, Cloud. It's a Shinra A32 submachine gun. Still need some practice with my aim, but I'm getting to be a pretty good shot. Haven't used it against anything but bottles yet, though."

I looked at her as we started walking. "Where'd you get it?"

"A friend of mine gave it to me a few months ago," Jessie said. "His idea of a birthday gift."

"That's some gift. Was he worried about you?"

She smiled. "He's always been protective of me ever since we met. I don't really mind, though."

"Boyfriend?" I wondered.

"No, it isn't like that," Jessie laughed. "More like a brother. Though people say it is or that it used to be since we've always been so close. It's just rumors, though. He's a friend, that's all."

I nodded. "I see…"

I felt odd, almost relieved, but I didn't know why it even mattered. It wasn't as though I was planning on being here long term, so why get attached to anyone? But even so, I realized I was glad at what she'd said. My eyes kept returning to her while I watched our surroundings, and it wasn't easy to look away again.

She moved a little closer to me, her eyes dancing. "That's right. I'm free as a bird, Cloud. Think you can catch me?"

"That a challenge?" I asked.

"What do you think?" she shot back with a laugh.

I raised an eyebrow. "I think it is."

"Could be," Jessie winked. "But what about you? Are you free like I am? Or are you and Tifa…?"

I shook my head. "She's just a friend. I… don't have anyone."

"Oh, how sad. Gets kinda lonely, doesn't it? For me, at least. I don't know about you. Does it, Cloud?"

"I guess," I shrugged. "I don't really think about it."

Jessie took a hand from the cart's handle and gave my arm a playful punch with the bottom of her fist. "Well, if you do ever feel lonely, you know where to find me."

"I'll keep that in mind," I told her.

We went on, passing into the outskirts and away from town. It was quiet here, and I kept my eyes alert. Wedge and I had taken out quite a few eaters earlier, but he had told me in between battles that unless we could find their nests, they would just keep coming. I didn't care for his overeager friendliness—he had kept on trying to get me to talk and be all buddy buddy with him, which annoyed me—but I couldn't deny he was a decent fighter and had gotten his share of kills.

Jessie and I were just passing out of Sector 7 and heading through the junk-lined dirt trails leading to the pillar complex when a swarm of eaters suddenly scuttled toward us from behind a pile of scrap metal to our right, their tails up and their round mandibles clacking. I drew my sword at once as Jessie instantly let go of the cart, darted over until she stood next to me, and pulled her gun from her belt. She flicked off the safety and brought it up.

"Well," she swallowed. "These are no bottles, that's for sure."

"You okay?" I asked, Buster ready in my hands.

She nodded. "Just a little nervous, Cloud. I haven’t fought monsters all that much. It’s been a while."

"You'll do fine," I told her. "Just pick a target and shoot."

Jessie flashed me a grateful smile. "Got it. Bottles with legs, then. A _lot_ of legs. I hate bugs, did you know that?"

I shook my head. "No. Why don't you tell them?"

"Ha! Good one, Cloud! I think I will!"

She fired off a few shots as the eaters drew closer, and one and then another went down. A soon as another one got in range, I rushed at it, spun, and hit it with a series of quick slashes. It collapsed into a mess of severed limbs and ichor as I swept Buster into the next eater and Jessie kept shooting at the others. She was as good as she'd said, and between us, we took down the rest of the monsters with little difficulty in just a few minutes or so.

Although I had fought the eaters at close range, I was pretty much unscathed. Jessie hadn't been quite so lucky, though. I turned to see her holding her left arm and hissing through her teeth. Sliding Buster back into place behind me, I went to her and took a look, grasping her wrist carefully in both hands. An ugly red slash lay across her forearm, and I figured one of the eaters must have closed in and struck her before she had been able to shoot it.

"It's not deep," I noticed. "Probably stings a bit, though."

Jessie sighed as she looked at her arm. "No kidding. Guess I wasn't fast enough, huh?"

"Not your fault, Jessie. Eaters are damn quick."

"Awww, Cloud, are you trying to cheer me up?" she teased.

I blinked. "Well, I…"

"Because if you are, it is _definitely_ working! You know, for a tough guy, you can be pretty sweet sometimes."

"Thanks, I guess," I said. I pulled out a potion from my pocket and handed it to her. "Here, take this."

Jessie wrinkled her nose. "Ick. You know I hate these, right?"

"Yeah. Go on, Jessie. Bottoms up."

She took the potion and unscrewed the cap. "My turn, huh? Guess I shouldn't have teased you about it last night."

"Too late now," I snickered.

"You are _so_ enjoying this, aren't you, Cloud?" Jessie retorted.

I shrugged. "Wouldn't exactly say I wasn't."

She laughed. "I knew it! Well, I guess I can't keep putting it off, can I? Here we go…"

Screwing up her courage, Jessie took a breath, let it out, closed her eyes, and drank the potion. She shuddered, her lip curling in disgust as her nose twisted even further and she fought not to gag. After she had finished swallowing it, Jessie coughed once or twice and tried to shake off the taste. I didn't blame her.

"Gross!" she said, handing me the empty bottle. "I promise I won't ever tease you about this stuff again, Cloud."

I smirked. "Gonna hold you to that."

"Oh, I bet you will," she chuckled.

We both looked at her wounded arm then and watched as the torn flesh slowly knitted itself together. After a few minutes, there was only a patch of tender, unmarked skin where the slash had been. She would have to get the rip in her glove sewn up, but the injury itself was healed and gone. I took her wrist again to get a better look.

"How's it feel?" I asked.

She smiled. "Much better, thanks."

"Don't mention it," I looked up at her. "It'll be a little sensitive for a few hours, but you'll be fine."

"Well, I guess I have you to thank for that, don't I?"

I nodded. "And that nasty potion."

Jessie laughed. "Don't remind me! We've gotta stop somewhere so I can get a drink to wash it down."

"We'll find something," I promised.

"Thanks," she replied, gazing shyly at me. "Um, Cloud…?"

I moved a little closer. "Yeah, Jessie?"

"Are you gonna let go? Not that there's any rush or anything, mind you. It's… kinda nice, actually."

"What?" My eyes widened and I glanced down again.

I was still holding onto her with one hand, only somehow while we had been talking, my gloved fingers had slid down from her wrist until they were clasping hers. I must've meant to let go of her before but had gotten so absorbed in our conversation that I'd forgotten. Now I did let go, stepping away in a hurry.

I couldn't quite meet her eyes. "Sorry, I… I didn't realize…"

"It's okay," Jessie murmured, turning me to face her. "You didn't do anything wrong. I really liked it."

"You did?" I blinked.

Her mouth twisted into a wry grin. "What girl wouldn't?"

I scratched my head. "Well, I just…"

"Relax, Cloud. You're so cute when you're nervous, you know that? But I don't bite. Unless you want me to."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I wondered.

She giggled, her eyes dancing. "Nothing! Let's just get going. We've still got a long way to go before we can head home."

We went back to the cart and got moving again, and the rest of the afternoon passed without incident. Jessie and I ran into a couple more packs of eaters while we were out there traveling from one place in the slums to another, but we fought them off easily enough. Jessie used her gun, preferring to keep the things at a distance rather than fight against them up close like she had the Vice goons yesterday.

While we were at her stops, I watched with patient curiosity as she worked, repairing broken valves, replacing an old water tank, fixing up a malfunctioning computer system, and more. And I realized she really was good at what she did. Jessie always had a smile for her clients along with a low fee and a word of encouragement. Sometimes, if she noticed that one of her customers seemed to be having an especially hard time making ends meet—there was a family over in the Sector 3 slums who had needed her to fix the pipes irrigating the garden they grew some of their food in—she would knock even more off the price.

It was very different from my line of work, that was for sure. But as we made our rounds that day, I wondered if that was really true. Sure, I wasn't one for smiling, at least most of the time, but I had taken on the job of protecting Jessie without asking for a fee in return. I didn't really know why, though. Maybe it was just a favor for Tifa, since I knew how much it would upset her if anything were to happen to her friend. That must have been it. But as my eyes found Jessie's now and then while we walked, I couldn't ignore the thought that there might've been more to it than that. Maybe. I just didn't know.


	4. THREE

## THREE

Jessie and I got back to her shop as the daylight—or what we could see of it through a few thin seams in the plate here and there—was just beginning to fade into twilight. We had gone pretty far, three different sectors in fact, but she had managed to finish all her business for today. As we approached the shop, Jessie rolled the cart around to the side of the little building and brought it to a stop.

"Whew!" she breathed. "That was a lot of walking, huh? Can't wait to sit down and relax for a while."

I nodded. "So that's why you put your feet on the table."

"Oh, you noticed that last night? Yeah, it feels so good to rest them after being out and about all day. You should try it, Cloud. It'll help you unwind. What do you say?"

"Maybe. Not used to it, though."

Jessie smirked. "A little self-conscious, are we? It's okay. We can do it at my place sometime if you want. That way nobody'll see you. Gotta protect that tough guy image of yours, after all."

"I guess so." I decided. "You going over there now?"

"In a minute. I just need to put my tools away first and lock up the shop again. It won't take long."

After taking her toolbox from the crate, Jessie went with me to the front of her workshop, where she unlocked the door and slipped inside for a moment. She came back out only a minute later, locking the door behind her before walking up to me.

"All set?" I asked.

She put the key in her pocket. "Just about. But first, I want to show you something. I've been working on it for a while. It's really cool! And when it's done, we won't have to worry about our feet getting tired after a long day of walking. Come on! It's this way!"

Grinning with excitement, Jessie beckoned me to follow her, and I did, walking with her around the workshop until we came to the back, where there was a small, makeshift garage attached. Jessie pushed open the door, and there was a low rattling sound as it slid upward. At first it was dark, but then Jessie flipped on a light just inside the garage. When she did, I suddenly understood her enthusiasm and let slip a little smile of my own, liking what I was seeing.

Leaning on its kickstand in the middle of the garage's dirt floor was a Hardy Daytona HD-90 motorcycle. It wasn't the newest model, and I would have been surprised if it had been. It didn't matter, though. This was still a good bike. Or it would be once it was finished. A shelf sitting along one wall held an assortment of spare parts, and a small tool chest stood in one corner. The bike itself was obviously incomplete, missing a few parts here and there. But Jessie had done a good job assembling it as much as she had so far.

"Nice," I said, gripping one of the handlebars.

Jessie laughed. "Thought you'd like it, Cloud. I scavenge parts from the junk piles on my days off. Sector 4's the best for that sort of thing. I saw a brand new one on display once, a long time ago back when I was still living on the plate. It was love at first sight!"

"Sounds like it," I agreed.

"It's always been a little dream of mine ever since I saw it to have a bike of my own. After I came down here, I knew the only way it would ever come true would be to build a Hardy myself. I like machinery and tech stuff a lot, fun things like that, and so I started looking through all those piles of junk and scrap for parts."

I was impressed. "You did all this yourself?"

"Sure did!" she beamed. "I got an old set of blueprints from one of my customers who used to be a mechanic and started putting the bike together a piece at a time. I've always had a knack for that sort of thing. It's almost like an instinct, I guess. Knowing where things go, how they work. Sometimes I can almost feel it. Probably seems a bit silly to you, though, doesn't it?"

I shook my head. "No, Jessie. I get it. It's sort of like being in battle. After a while, you know what to do before you're even aware of it. Like you said, instinct. Makes sense to me."

"Thanks, Cloud. That makes me really happy to hear you say that. You know, I've never shown this to anyone, not even my friends. They know about it, of course, but I wanted to wait until it was finished first before letting them see it."

"So why'd you show me?" I wondered.

Jessie smiled, resting her elbows on the seat of the bike across from me and putting her chin on her hands. "Because I like you, Cloud. And I figured you'd be into this kinda thing."

"I am," I nodded. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Would you… would you like to help me finish it? It'll be so much fun!"

I scratched my head. "I don't know how…"

"That's okay," she replied. "Just leave it to me! I'll show you what to do. Who knows, Cloud? Maybe you'll even like it so much you'll build your own someday. Anything's possible, right?"

"I suppose so," I said.

Jessie straightened up, gazing fondly at the motorcycle. "This baby has it all, Cloud, or at least it will—a four-cylinder engine, twin storage compartments, chrome exhaust pipes, and more. Everything a delivery and tech service girl needs."

I was sure it did. "So what's our next step?"

"Really?" Her eyes lit up as she stared at me, her jaw hanging open. "You mean that? You'll finish it with me?"

"Yeah, Jessie. Count me in."

Before I even knew what she was doing, Jessie ran around the bike and threw herself into my arms. "Oh, Cloud, thank you! Thank you so much! This is really gonna be great, you'll see!"

For a moment, I was so startled I couldn't even think, let alone say anything. Jessie's head rested on my shoulder, and she had wrapped her arms around me and was holding me tight. I was acutely aware then of the warmth of her body pressing against mine and the smell of her hair as we stood there together.

I swallowed. "Um, Jessie…?"

She looked up at me and smirked. “What’s the matter? Never had a cute girl in your arms before?”

"I… uh, not really…" I stammered.

"That's alright," Jessie winked. "You can hold me anytime."

What was I supposed to say to her? I didn't know much about this sort of thing, but at the same time, it wasn't at all unpleasant. I couldn't help being a bit flustered about it, though. I knew the battlefield in and out, was able to act without hesitation, and could easily stare down any opponent. But I hadn't a clue how to handle all this attention from one outgoing and admittedly very attractive girl.

I looked at her. "Well, uh… thanks, I guess. So, Jessie… what about the bike? Um, what's next?"

She smiled and let go, but not before doing a mock bow. "Always at your service! Anyway, I've got some more trips to make tomorrow, but the day after that I'm gonna go do some scavenging for parts in Sector 4. You're welcome to come with me if you want."

"Know what we're looking for?" I asked.

"You bet! It'll be like a treasure hunt! It'll probably take a bunch of trips to find everything we need, but we can keep on building the bike in the meantime. I think we can have it finished in a few more weeks if we're lucky. Maybe a month, two at the most."

I nodded. "'Alright. Tifa did ask me to keep you safe. And traveling across the slums is pretty dangerous. So I guess I'd better go along with you. Just in case, of course."

"Just in case," she echoed, smirking again. "If you say so."

"So was this the special project you mentioned yesterday? The one you stole from Vice for?"

Jessie shook her head. "No, Cloud. That one's different."

"How so?" I asked, following her outside.

She flicked off the light and closed the garage door. "I… I can't talk about it. Sorry. Maybe later."

I wasn't very surprised at Jessie's refusal to elaborate, although I did wonder why she was keeping it such a secret. There had to be a reason, especially given the risks she'd taken for it already. Whatever this thing was, it must have been more important to her than everything else she had shown me. And a lot more dangerous as well.

"Must be important," I said.

"It is," Jessie murmured. "Very important. I wish I could tell you, I really do. But it's not up to me."

I folded my arms in front of me. "Then who?"

"Cloud, please," Jessie shook her head. "Don't press me about this. I made a promise. I'm not going to break it."

"Alright," I gave in. "Guess I can't expect you to do that."

She put a hand on my arm, near where she had bandaged it for me yesterday evening. "Thanks for understanding. I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later. It's just… what we're doing… it could really come back to haunt us if we're not careful. So we've really gotta watch what we say and who we say it to. There's too much at stake."

"We?" I wondered.

"I've probably said too much already," Jessie sighed, hurrying away around the corner toward the front of her workshop.

I followed her, my mind filled with more questions than answers as I walked. She was waiting for me near the road, her back to me and her hands folded behind her. As I walked up to her, she turned to face me, the corners of her mouth curling up into an apologetic little smile. Her brown eyes watched as I stood alongside her.

"Heading home?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. But… how about I make you dinner tonight? I kinda feel bad about not being able to tell you want you want to know, and I'd like to make it up to you."

"Sure," I agreed.

"Awesome!" Jessie laughed, thrusting her fist into the air. "I'll make you my famous Midgar Special. You'll love it!"

I raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

Jessie giggled. "Pizza! My own special recipe. Come on!"

She beckoned to me with a sweep of her arm, and I followed her as she walked briskly down the road. It wasn't very far from the workshop to her home, and we got there a few minutes later. After we went inside and closed the door behind us, Jessie moved over to the little table near her bed. Two chairs were there, and she pulled one out and turned it to face the bed. Then she sat down and started tugging off her boots, then her black socks. She looked up at me. "Pull up a chair, Cloud. Come on over here and take a load off."

I did, picking up the other chair and putting it next to hers before I sat down. But I didn't take my own boots off. I simply watched as Jessie carefully tucked her socks into her boots and put them aside. Then she leaned back in her chair and rested her bare feet on the bed with a long sigh of relief and contentment.

"Feel better?" I asked.

She nestled her hands behind her head and slid her eyes closed for a moment. "Oh, yeah…"

"I guess you do this a lot."

"All the time, Cloud," she opened her eyes and smiled at me. "How many miles do you think we walked today?"

I thought for a moment. "Almost a dozen at least."

She giggled. "Told you I get around. Wasn't lyin', was I?"

"Now I see why you want the bike. It doesn't seem like we went far, but all that going back and forth between sectors adds up."

"Sure does," Jessie said. "So it's really nice to kick back like this and give my feet a rest. Go on and try it, Cloud. Don't be shy. Nobody'll see you but me. And I won't tell."

I glanced at her. "Not a word."

Leaning back in my chair a bit, I started to lift my feet to rest them on the edge of the bed as Jessie had suggested, but before I got very far, she quickly sat up and tapped my arm. "Ah, ah! Boots off, Cloud. Don't be putting those dirty things up on my sheets now."

"Oh, right," I said. "Forgot about that."

I put my feet down, then took off my boots one at a time, followed by my socks. Once I was finished, Jessie gave me an approving nod and a wink, then I put my feet on the bed next to hers. It did feel good, now that I thought about it. The miles of walking didn't get to me like it did to her, but I'd had military training so I was more used to it. Still, I had to admit this little exercise hadn't been such a bad idea, though I didn't want anyone else to see me like this.

"Mmm, nice," Jessie gazed at my bare feet. "How's it feel?"

"Pretty good," I admitted.

She laughed, leaning back and slipping her hands behind her head again. "What'd I tell ya, Cloud? Now, can you do _this?"_

With a playful smirk, Jessie wiggled her toes. They were small, the nails plain but neatly trimmed. After she was finished, she looked over at me expectantly. I knew exactly what she wanted me to do, of course. She was practically challenging me. And I found, much to my surprise, that I didn't want to refuse it.

I moved my own toes a bit. "How's that, Jessie? Looks like you win, though. I'm not as flexible as you are."

"We can work on it," she quipped. "If you want."

"We'll see. It's definitely not my usual kind of training."

She nodded. "Fair enough. By the way, have I been seeing things or are your eyes glowing?"

"They are," I answered.

"Thought so. Why do they do that? It's actually pretty cool."

I sighed. It wasn't something I wanted to talk about, and I'd hoped that she wouldn't notice. Not everyone did. But as I was learning, Jessie was quick-witted and very observant. Even so, I wasn't about to tell her why my eyes glowed, at least not right now. Many people looked up to those who were in SOLDIER and admired them, but others feared and distrusted them. Until I knew which of those two groups Jessie was in, I intended to keep to myself the fact that I had been in SOLDIER. I just didn't know how she would take it.

I sat up, putting my feet down. "Can't tell you, Jessie. Sorry."

"It's alright, Cloud," she said, also sitting up. "I guess everyone's got their little secrets, don't they? I understand, though, believe me. I really do. Anyway, why don't you just relax while I go and get the food ready? It won't take long, I promise. I might not be as good at cooking as Tifa, but I _do_ make a mean pizza! You've never lived until you've tried it! So just sit back and prepare to be dazzled!"

Jessie stood up, smiled, and went to her little kitchen to get dinner started while I leaned back in my chair again, my eyes lingering on her as she worked. It didn't take long, the smell of the food filling the air as she cooked and I returned the chairs to their original positions. Then I sat down again while she set the table. Before long, she came back with a hot pizza sizzling on a round metal pan. It looked good as she placed it on the table and sat down across from me, a small, eager grin on her face as she began cutting it.

Jessie passed out the slices for both of us, two each to start with. As we ate, she did most of the talking, which I didn't mind in the slightest. I'd never been good at it anyway. I found it hard to look away from her, though. My eyes kept returning to hers as though they were a magnet, and hers always seemed to find mine, too. But if she felt as nervous as I did, she didn't show it.

Jessie paused between bites. "So, you like it?"

"Yeah, Jessie," I said. "It's great."

"What'd I tell ya, Cloud? You can have my Midgar Special anytime you want. Just say the word!"

I took a sip from my drink. "Will do."

When it was over and everything had been cleared away, I reached for my boots and put them back on. It would be time to get going soon enough. I saw through the window that it was darker outside now than it had been earlier, and I realized it was getting late.

I was still in the chair at the table, although I had turned to the side while I was getting ready to go. Jessie sat nearby on the edge of her bed, her hands in her lap as she watched me tie my laces. When I was done, I stood up and gathered my things, sliding Buster onto my back. Jessie got up as well, her eyes on the blade.

"How do you get that to stay on there?" she wondered.

"There's a magnet on the back of my shirt," I explained. "It's where the harness straps meet."

Jessie leaned forward a little. "I can't see it."

"It's that metal disc there in the middle. I don't even feel it, actually. But it keeps Buster in place well enough."

" _Buster!?"_ she laughed, straightening up.

I shrugged. "It's just a name. I guess you like it, though."

Jessie patted my arm. "It's more than appropriate, Cloud. And I do like it. It suits you. How'd you come up with it?"

"I don't remember…" I frowned, not liking that fact.

"Well, I'm sure it'll come to you sooner or later. Don't worry about it. I forget things all the time."

I nodded. "Yeah. Guess I should be going."

"Awww, so soon?" she teased.

"I just…" I began.

Jessie chuckled. "Relax, Cloud. I'm only messing with you. Not that I'd mind if you stayed a bit longer. But I'm sure you've got things to do, and I don't want to keep you."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow."

"You too," she replied.

After walking outside, I turned around to see Jessie standing there in the doorway, her eyes on me. Her feet were still bare, which was why she hadn't followed me out onto the dirt path in front of her house. She glanced down at them, then looked back up at me. "Thanks for kicking back with me, Cloud. It was a lot of fun."

"No problem," I said. "Goodnight, Jessie."

She smiled. "Goodnight, hero."

* * *

The bar was bustling tonight, as usual. A tray of food in my hand, I slipped out from behind the bar and wove through the crowded tables to where Wedge was sitting. A big smile split his face when he saw me, or rather, the food. I wasn't at all surprised, though—Wedge adored my cooking and always jumped at the chance to taste test for me whenever I was working on a new recipe—and so I simply flashed him a smile of my own and set the plates down in front of him.

"Thanks, Tifa!" he exclaimed, digging in. "You're the best!"

I laughed as I sat down with him. "You're welcome, Wedge. So glad you like it! But then, you always do."

He nodded. "Of course! No one cooks better than you!"

"You're getting pretty good at it yourself, though," I told him. "That dinner you made for us the other night was wonderful!"

"Thanks, Tifa. I guess it turned out okay."

I looked at him as I ate. "You're better at it than you think you are, Wedge. Don't sell yourself short."

He was always that way, though. Wedge had always struggled with his self-confidence, probably because of his weight. He was tall but also large. In spite of that, though, he was able to move around a battlefield with surprising speed—I had seen it for myself more than once when I had gone out to hunt eaters with him from time to time. He could even leap over them when he wanted to.

"I guess it _was_ pretty good, wasn't it?" Wedge admitted.

I grinned. "Sure was! So, how did it go with Cloud today? He didn't say much when he got back this afternoon."

"He doesn't talk much, but he's great when it comes to fighting! We took out a whole bunch of eaters today, way more than I could have by myself. I sure hope he'll stick around for a while."

"So do I, Wedge. So do I."

He paused for a moment between bites. "You think he will, Tifa?"

"I'm not sure," I sighed. "Cloud's a mercenary, so I'm hoping that as long as I can bring him some good-paying work, he'll stay. But anyway, how's Biggs? I haven't seen him much lately."

"He's still over in Sector 5 helping his sister. Lena's been a bit under the weather for a while, so Biggs has been looking after her. He told me the other day that she's getting better but that it'll probably be a couple weeks still before she's back on her feet. They're orphans, you know, so Biggs is the only family she has."

Biggs and Wedge were best friends, practically joined at the hip, so they always kept in touch. Biggs had mentioned during one of our little group’s recent meetings that he’d have to be away for a while to help his sister recover from her illness. He still came to the meetings, but other than that I hadn’t really seen him.

Although I didn’t know Lena very well, I liked her and considered her a friend. It had been a while since she’d last been here, and I hoped she’d come back to visit us soon once she was feeling better. Wedge had a little brother, but I’d never met him. As for Jessie, she didn’t have any family down here. Except us, of course.

I was still a little surprised Cloud had turned down my offer to pay him to keep Jessie safe, but pleasantly so. Seeing the sword for hire that he was these days, I had thought that the only way I'd have been able to convince him to help her was to pay him to do it. But that wasn't going to be necessary. I'd have gone with Jessie myself and kept the bar closed during those hours if I had to, though.

I brought my attention back to Wedge. "Well, next time you talk to Biggs, tell him I said hi. Will he be back in time for the mission, do you think? It'll be harder if he can't, but I understand."

"He will," Wedge assured me. "He knows we gotta do this. So do I. He'll be there, Tifa. Cloud, too, I hope."

"Me too, Wedge," I agreed.

He gulped his drink. "Have you told Barret about him yet?"

"No. I want to give Cloud time to settle in first and put his skills to good use. I have a feeling those two aren't going to get along very well, at least not right away. But I'll let Barret know soon enough."

Just then, the double doors swung open and Cloud walked inside. I got up and went over to meet him as he headed over to the bar. He had come back later than I had expected, but maybe he and Jessie had only just returned from her trips. There were certainly times that she didn't get back until late. It just depended on how many customers she had to go see and how long it took to get her work done. Jessie was the kind of girl who would stay as long as it took to make sure a job was done right and that her customers were satisfied.

I slid behind the bar as Cloud sat down. "Hi, Cloud! Long day?"

"It was alright," he said. "Could use a drink."

"Of course! You must be hungry, too. How about I get you a bite to eat? It'll only take a minute."

He shook his head. "Thanks, but I'm fine."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Yeah, Tif," he answered. "I already ate. Jessie made me something after I took her home tonight."

I blinked. "Oh…"

"You okay?" he wondered.

For a moment, I wasn't actually sure. I looked away, a knot twisting in my stomach. But it was silly, wasn't it? They had only met yesterday, after all. It wasn't as if Cloud having a quiet dinner together with Jessie actually meant anything. Did it? She had probably just wanted to show her gratitude for his help.

But then I remembered how Jessie had sounded on the phone this morning when she had been talking about him, how dreamy her voice had been when she had described how Cloud had saved her last night. I guess it wasn't surprising that she'd have a crush on him after that. My own heart fluttered a little whenever he was nearby, so I couldn't really blame her. I didn't have the faintest idea what to do about it, though, so I kept it to myself.

I just… I hadn't thought she would take that next step. It might be nothing, and I told myself that as I stood there, Cloud's blue-eyed gaze on me. The knot wouldn't go away, though. I swallowed and brushed a few errant strands of hair away from my face. My bangs always seemed to be getting in my eyes. Or maybe I was just nervous.

"I'm fine, Cloud," I said, as calmly as I could. "That was really nice of her to do that for you."

He nodded. "Yeah. It was good."

"So, um… you think you'll do it again?"

"Maybe," he shrugged. "I don't know. Jessie felt bad because I asked her things she couldn't answer."

I handed him his drink. "What things?"

He took a swallow and glanced at me. "This special project of hers. Know anything about it?"

I did, of course. I just wasn't ready to tell him yet. I felt that knot in my stomach finally loosen and unravel as I thought about what he had said. It seemed Jessie had only done what she did out of friendship and a desire to make amends for keeping things from him. But then, Cloud hadn't dismissed the possibility of doing it again, either. I shook off my thoughts and decided it was too soon to worry about it.

"I do, Cloud. That other work I mentioned? Her project is a part of it. But I can't tell you anything else. Not yet."

"I don't like being kept in the dark," he frowned.

I sighed. "I know. And I promise I'll explain everything soon. I just need some time, that's all."

"Alright, Tif. Just don't take too long."

"I won't," I promised. "In the meantime, why don't you try playing one of the games in here? It'll help you unwind. There's a dart board on the wall, and we've got a couple pinball machines, too. Oh, but not the one next to the kitchen. It's out of order."

Cloud nodded and stood up. "I guess so. It—"

Suddenly, he nearly doubled over, squeezing his eyes shut while his hand reached up to clutch the side of his head. What was happening? I rushed around the bar, the sound of shattering glass filling my ears as I heard Cloud drop his drink to the floor. I got to him just in time to see him go limp and start to fall. I was still trying to catch him when I saw Wedge show up on Cloud's other side, and between us, we managed to keep him on his feet. Then he began to stir.

Wedge held Cloud steady for a moment. "Easy there, bro. You'll be alright. We've gotcha, okay?"

"I ain't your bro," Cloud muttered. "And I'm fine."

"You sure?" I worried as I held his other arm.

He pulled himself free of Wedge's grasp but didn't fight mine. "I'm sure, Tif. What happened?"

I reluctantly let go of him. "It looked like you blacked out there for a second. Like you had a sudden headache or something."

"I did?" Cloud stared.

I shook my head in disbelief. "Yeah. Don't you remember?"

He straightened up, completely himself now. "No. I was just getting up from the bar, and then I saw you two here."

That was what I had been afraid of. And although I was sure Cloud didn't know it, this wasn't the first time I had seen him this way. It was another reason I wanted to keep him around as long as I could. When I had first found him at the train station yesterday, he had been in a state like this, and I didn't know what it was or what it could mean. But after he had seen me, he had snapped to his senses almost at once, as if there hadn't been anything wrong with him to begin with. It was strange and eerie. I sighed and looked him over again.

Cloud stood there in his SOLDIER outfit, the black sleeveless tunic and pants with matching boots and gauntlets. Fastened about his waist was a wide, brown leather belt with an insignia etched into the middle and a pair of suspender straps holding it up in a sort of harness. Spiked blond hair covered his head, and his glowing blue eyes gazed at us with unease and confusion. I was feeling those very same things myself, and I didn't like what was going on or what had happened.

I didn't like it one bit.


	5. FOUR

## FOUR

The trails winding between Sector 6 and Sector 7 were quiet today as Jessie and I made our way to her next stop. We had seen quite a few eaters over the past two weeks since I had started to accompany her on these little trips of hers. They usually attacked in small groups, four or five at the most, but hadn't been too difficult for us to overcome. I had also noticed that Jessie was growing more relaxed in battle, and we had developed a rhythm of sorts. She would cover me with her gun while I rushed in with Buster and slashed away.

I stopped as a nearby sign caught my attention. I'd noticed a few of them here and there all across the slums but hadn't actually read any of them until now. Jessie stopped along with me when she spotted what I was looking at. It was a wooden sign with a short message scrawled on it in bold, messy letters:

_Don't let Shinra fool you!  
Mako energy won't last forever!  
It's the lifeblood of the planet!  
And someday it'll be gone!  
Protectors of the planet:  
Avalanche_

"Avalanche?" I wondered. "Who are these guys?"

Jessie swallowed, not meeting my eyes. "I… I've heard about them. They believe Shinra's killing the planet. And us along with it."

I glanced at her. "What do you think?"

"Well, um… I don't know. Maybe. What about you?"

"Doesn't matter to me," I said. "Handwriting's terrible, though. Did a kid do this or something? And it's covered in graffiti."

Streaks of spray-painted pictures and messages, some more vulgar than others, covered the sign and the post in a riot of clashing colors. It didn't look like the people around here cared very much for Avalanche, whoever they were. I didn't blame them. The group sounded like it was just a bunch of crazies looking for attention.

Jessie folded her arms in front of her and sighed. "So what if it's not perfect? The message still gets through."

"I guess. Doesn't seem like people are listening, though."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Looks that way."

I shrugged. "Well, whatever. I doubt they'll be able to do much."

"W-What!?" Jessie stared at me.

"I just don't think they have a clue what they're up against. Shinra's way too powerful, Jessie."

She had to know that. There was no way a tiny group from here in the slums had any chance of bringing down Shinra. They would just be a minor nuisance at best, like a fly bothering a behemoth. And sooner or later, Shinra would swat that fly and crush it. Then Avalanche's little crusade to save the planet would be over.

She frowned. "At least they're trying, Cloud."

"Won't make a difference," I said.

"Don't be so sure," Jessie countered. "They might just surprise you. I wouldn't go writing their epitaphs just yet."

We were just starting to get moving again, but before we could get underway, we heard the sound of scuttling legs around us. As I reached over my shoulder for Buster, Jessie let go of the cart and drew her gun. But as I stood there with her, I thought there was something odd about the sound. I couldn't figure it out at first, and a glance at Jessie told me she had noticed the same thing.

"What do you make of it?" I asked.

She pursed her lips. "Sounds like there's more of them."

Suddenly, a swarming mass of the insect-like creatures scuttled out from behind several piles of junk ahead of us. There must have been at least a dozen of them, maybe twice that many. At first, I wondered why they had shown up in such a large group, but then I remembered what Wedge had said about them having nests. One of them must have been nearby, and we had walked right into it.

Jessie gaped. "Okay, make that a _lot_ more."

"We can handle it," I said.

I started to pull Buster free, but she caught my arm and turned me to face her. "No, Cloud! I'll take care of this."

"What?" I stared. "How?"

She grinned and put her gun away. "Watch and learn."

Without waiting for me to reply, Jessie flipped open her belt pouch and reached inside. She took out a pear-shaped hand grenade and held it in her hand for a minute. It was dark purple with a bright red handle, and as I watched, she took hold of the pin, pulled it out, and hurled the grenade toward the creatures. I looked back to Jessie.

"What now?" I blinked.

She grabbed my hand. "Run and duck!"

My eyes widened as Jessie pulled me away from the swarm, and we got moving at once. There was a sudden roar of thunder behind us just seconds later as the grenade exploded. With smoke swirling around us and the heat raging at our backs, I wrapped my arms around Jessie and dove to the ground, rolling away from the blast and shielding her with my body. She ducked her head into my shoulder as we hit the dirt, and it wasn't until we finally came to a stop and the dust had begun to clear a few moments later that she finally looked up.

My breath caught in my throat when I realized her face was only a few inches from mine. Silence hung in the air, and all I could hear were the sounds of our breathing. The explosion had taken out all the eaters, but I wasn't thinking about that now. Jessie's brown eyes were fixed on my blue ones, and the pull was almost magnetic as I lay there on top of her, holding her as she clung to me.

"Are you… are you alright?" I somehow managed to ask.

"Oh, yeah…" she breathed. "I am _so_ alright…"

I swallowed. "That's… good, Jessie. You weren't kidding when you said you'd take care of 'em."

"Ha! Aren'tcha glad to have me around?" she laughed.

My gaze lingered on her. "Yeah…"

For a moment, Jessie didn't respond. She just looked at me, a small, wondering smile on her face. Then I felt her fingers sliding up from the back of my neck to brush against the hair at the base of my head as her thumbs rested behind my ears. Her own head was resting comfortably within the curve of my right arm while my left lay beneath her, snugly wrapped around her waist and lower back.

"Glad to be here," Jessie whispered. "So glad…"

I just lay there, not really sure what to say. It felt good, holding her. I couldn't deny it. But I didn't know what to make of it, either. I'd never seen Jessie so content. Neither of us made a move to get up yet, and the moment seemed to stretch on. Why was it so hard to break it? I found I didn't really want to. I had taken Jessie in my arms to protect her from the blast, and now it was hard to let go of her. I just laid there with her, my heart pounding loudly in my chest.

"I…" the word fell out of my mouth, but I didn't know where to go from there. I could hardly think. All I knew was the feel of Jessie's small body and how soft it was, the tingling in my skin and hair as she gently brought my face closer to hers. I didn't resist, and I was so caught up in the moment that I almost missed hearing the sound of scuttling insect legs suddenly erupting all around us.

I snapped out of it at once. "Damn! Looks like there's more."

"Are you kidding me!?" Jessie groaned. "Of all the…! They couldn't have waited another five minutes!?"

"Guess not," I said. "You know what to do?"

She nodded, and I could feel her tensing up beneath me, preparing herself to move, as tight as a coiled spring. The eaters were still twenty yards away in every direction, and it wouldn't take long for them to get much closer. I lifted my head to watch them, gauging the distance, and only seconds later, it was time.

I looked back at Jessie. "Now!"

Instantly I rolled away as she did likewise in the opposite direction, both of us springing to our feet and drawing our weapons in one fluid motion before setting ourselves back to back as the eaters closed in on us. There were fewer of them this time, only about six or seven, and we got to work, taking them down with a flurry of slashes, bullets, and the occasional blast of ice or lighting from my materia. We both took a few hits but nothing serious, and a few minutes later, it was over, bug parts and ichor scattered across the trail.

"Whew! That'll teach 'em!" Jessie grinned.

I slid Buster back into place behind me. "Yeah. But about before… you made that thing?"

She tucked her gun back into her belt. "Yep! I sure did, Cloud. One of my newest inventions. I like loud, flashy things like that. Made quite a blast, didn't it?"

"No kidding. What was in it?"

Jessie chuckled. "Not much, really. Just a few household chemicals in the proper proportions."

I was impressed. "Do you have any more of them?"

"Gotcha covered, Cloud. Why?"

"Just in case," I answered. "There's gotta be a nest around here, and I'm sure that's where the eaters are coming from."

She gazed at the junk piles. "Think we can take it out?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. Wedge and I can come back tomorrow and do it. I didn't come out here with you to go bug hunting, Jessie. It can wait. This isn't what we're here for."

"So?" she argued. "We're here now. We should do it!"

"Don't you have customers to see?"

She pointed to her cart, which was an overturned, blackened mess. "Not anymore. I'm gonna have to replace that first. And besides, taking out that nest is more important."

I folded my arms in front of me. "This isn't what I agreed to."

"Who cares?" Jessie snapped, her eyes narrowing. "Wedge told me once that the eaters sometimes move their nests. This one might not be here tomorrow. This could be our only chance to destroy it. Cloud… I know you're a mercenary and that Tifa's paying you to fight eaters with Wedge. But you've been helping me simply because she asked you, so I know there's a part of you that's about more than money. The part that leaped in to rescue me from a pack of thugs the night we met. I'll never forget that, Cloud. Not ever."

I sighed. "Just didn't want to put you in danger."

A small, tender smile played across Jessie's face as she walked over to me. "I appreciate that, Cloud. I really do. But I don't mind taking the risk if it means protecting my home."

"Let's get to it, then," I gave in. "Keep those grenades handy."

She grinned. "You got it! And Cloud… thank you."

I nodded, and we took off, springing lightly up the side of the junk piles to our left, where most of the eaters had come from. It was a large mound of broken debris and metal sheets, and we moved across it a bit at time as carefully as we could, the footing underneath us more than a little unsteady. At one point, Jessie missed a step as a pair of rusted iron beams suddenly shifted beneath her.

Her eyes widened and she started to fall with a shriek, but I caught her by the hand just before she would have tumbled face first right into the midst of the scrap heap. Taking her other hand as well, I helped her to her feet, and she stumbled a little as she got up but managed to right herself easily enough. It was a moment or two before either of us let go, though, our hands still linked as we looked at each other.

We moved on, finally reaching the other side of the junk pile a few minutes later, and headed down. It didn't take long, and we soon found ourselves on the ground again. Smaller piles of junk, broken pipes, and other bits of debris lay scattered around the area, and the ruins of a few abandoned shacks stood nearby along with a large shed. Winding away in between them was a narrow dirt path covered in insect tracks. But I couldn't see any eaters around.

I was about to move when Jessie grabbed my arm. "Wait!"

"What's wrong?" I glanced at her.

She pointed at the shed, her voice little more than a whisper. "Over there! Be careful, Cloud!"

I couldn't see anything strange, though. "It's just a shed, Jessie."

"No," she shook her head. "It's not."

Jessie pulled out her gun and swept her left arm out in front of me, motioning for me to wait. So I did, grasping Buster's hilt and watching as she took a few steps forward and crouched down onto one knee, her gun in both hands now as she aimed it right at the shed, her eyes fixed on her target. Quiet hung in the air like a blanket.

Then she opened fire, shattering the stillness, and I staggered back a step or two in shock when the shed actually moved! It flinched as the bullets struck the wall nearest us. I drew Buster, not quite sure yet what to make of this thing. Jessie kept on firing, tracing a line along the wall, and glanced back at me.

"What are you waiting for?" she said. "Come on!"

I shrugged and ran in, slashing at the wall. "What the hell is it?"

Jessie virtually exploded with laughter. "Funny you should ask like that, Cloud! It's called a hell house!"

"Never heard of it," I grunted, cutting Buster at it again.

"It's an automated sentry. Or at least, that's what it was supposed to be. The shed's just a disguise."

I sliced again, and the thing shuddered. "A disguise for what?"

"This!" Jessie answered.

Suddenly, several sections of the shed's walls opened, and then two arms and a head emerged. It was clearly a machine of some kind, and I barely had time to duck before it swung a huge fist at me. I dove aside, springing back to my feet and hitting it with a shock of lightning from my materia before backing up for a moment. Then the thing's internals began to glow red as a loud sizzling sound suddenly buzzed in my ears. Before I could do anything, Jessie grabbed my arm and pulled me back and away from the hell house.

"Get down!" she yelled. "Unless you wanna get cooked!"

We both dropped to the ground just as great gouts of flame surged out of the machine from a pair of steel jets that were now poking out of the wall right above the foundation. The fire swirled above us in a wide arc, the heat washing over us in waves as we lay there. Then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone.

I started to get up, then rolled to the left. "Jessie! Incoming!"

She looked up, saw the dark red missile shooting up from the roof, and rolled the other way just as it arced toward us and exploded on the ground where we'd been laying just a moment ago. Getting to our feet, we both resumed the attack before the sentry could retaliate. I sliced at one of the arms while Jessie poured bullets into its head, her expression angry and determined. The hell house staggered, its mechanized body sparking and sizzling with every hit.

"Cloud," Jessie reached into her belt pouch. "Back up."

I knew what she meant and did as she asked. No, that hadn't been a request. It had been an order. She wanted to take this thing out herself. I didn't know why it mattered so much to her, but I knew better than to argue about it. So I hurried away from the hell house and fell in beside her, Buster at the ready. Jessie took out one of her homemade grenades, stared at the damaged sentry for a minute, and pulled out the pin. Her eyes narrowing, she threw the purple grenade at it, then she and I dove for cover just as it went off.

The hell house exploded, bits of metal and wood flying everywhere all around us. Then it was over, smoke hovering in the air as Jessie and I stood up. The machine, or what was left of it, was nothing more than a burning wreck now, and Jessie stared at it with satisfaction for a long moment. When I looked over at her, I could see the flames reflected in her eyes. She walked up to the remains of the hell house, then kicked it in the head. Once, twice, and then a third time, her face twisting into a mask of anger and pain as she tossed her gun aside.

She kept kicking it, again and again, growling as she did. What was wrong with her? I shouldered Buster and walked over to her. But when I tried to take her arm, she pulled herself free and kicked at the sentry's head again with a yell, nearly taking it off this time. I grabbed Jessie by the shoulders and turned her to face me.

"Hey, hey!" I told her. "Relax! We got it, alright?"

She actually fought me for a moment, then her eyes widened as she gasped and finally snapped out of it. "Oh, Cloud! I…"

I gazed intently at her. "You okay?"

"I think so…" Jessie sighed. She turned away. "I'm so sorry, Cloud. I didn't mean to get so carried away. I just…"

"What happened?" I asked.

She glanced over her shoulder at me. "Can you keep a secret?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I can do that."

"Well, why don't we sit down?" Jessie said. "It might take me a little while to explain."

Moving away from the ruined machine, Jessie and I walked over to an old concrete pipe laying half-buried in the dirt. It was large enough that we could sit on it side by side, and so we did. From there, we could see the destroyed hell house still burning. Jessie watched it for a while, and I wondered what was going on inside of her. Then she took a long, deep breath and let it out in a soft, slow exhale.

"What I'm going to tell you, Cloud, is something no one else down here knows about me. Not even Tifa. You remember me telling you we all have our little secrets? Well, I've got plenty. I'm not going to tell you everything, though. Just enough to help you understand."

"Go ahead," I told her.

"You know, it's almost funny," she managed a small, shaky smile. "I feel like I can tell you what I've never told anyone else. I guess you just have one of those faces."

"What faces?" I wondered.

Jessie laughed. "The cute kind. The kind you can trust."

I scratched my head. "Thanks, I suppose. Anyway, how'd you know so much about the hell house?"

"I'm familiar with it," she answered. _"_ _Very_ familiar."

That had been obvious. "How so?"

Jessie swallowed, her hands in her lap. "Well, you see… I designed it. I created it a long time ago."

"Why would you make something like that?"

"It was never meant to hurt anyone," she explained. "Not originally. It was supposed to protect people. I intended for the hell house to be a trap for the monsters that lurk around here. Like eaters. Once they got close enough, it would spring out and attack."

I gazed at her. "What went wrong?"

"My design was altered," she said, her eyes hard. "Modified without my knowledge or consent. But by the time I found out, lots of innocent people had already been hurt and killed by this thing and others like it. So I destroy them whenever I find them. It's the least I can do for those who've suffered because of it. I owe it to them."

"You said you made this thing?" I frowned. "For who?"

Jessie shook her head. "All I'll say for now is that it was my job. I'm not ready go further than that yet. Sorry."

So she'd been some kind of weapons designer in the past. That did explain her skill with those grenades of hers, both in using them and in making them. I was curious to know more, but I knew she wasn't going to share anything else right now. And I could see how hard it had been for her to tell me as much as she had. Jessie hadn't told me much, but it was still more than I'd expected.

"It's fine," I said. "You've told me enough."

She gave me a grateful smile. "Thanks. You know, I wasn't actually sure back there whether I was angrier at the house or myself. I just hate that my work was used to cause so much pain."

"You blame yourself," I was beginning to understand now.

Jessie nodded. "Always have. But anyway, we've talked enough, and we've still got a nest to take out. So we'd better go."

After she had retrieved her gun, we headed down the narrow trail, following the eaters' tracks. It wasn't long before we heard the scuttling of insect legs again, not too far ahead of us. The trail rose up into a low hill, and I figured that the nest must have been just on the other side of it. The rise was hardly more than a bump, not much higher than I was, but it was enough to hide us from the eaters, and we crouched down as we approached the top. Jessie and I took a peek at what lay past it as we knelt down next to each other.

In a small clearing surrounded by junk and scrap, what must have been at least thirty or forty eaters crawled around a large white mass of bulbous, pulsing tissue, something like a giant egg sac. The ground was covered with little hatchlings scurrying about. Although I wasn't overly fond of Wedge, I found myself wishing he and that flamethrower of his were here with us now. But it was just Jessie and I.

She motioned to me, and we turned around and lay with our backs to the slope for a minute. She opened her belt pouch and took out two of her grenades before closing it up again. Then she handed me one of them, speaking in a whisper. "This should be enough, Cloud. We'll toss them in at the same time, one for the nest and one for the bugs. You go for the nest, I'll take the crowd. Understand?"

I nodded. "Got it. Then what?"

"Then we run like hell!" Jessie grinned.

"Never seen grenades like this before," I noted. "They don't usually come in purple."

She laughed. "That's my own personal touch. Most people also call grenades pineapples, but I like to think of mine as raspberries. Like the fruit. And my last name. Rasberry."

"Jessie Rasberry?" I blinked. "Nice, I guess."

"Thanks! Now let's get those bugs!"

Facing the rise again, we crept up to the top as quietly as we could, our grenades firmly in hand. When we got there, Jessie held hers up in front of her, then tilted her head in my direction. I understood and got ready myself, bringing up the raspberry and taking hold of it. She and I exchanged a quick glance, and then we both yanked out the pins before I threw my grenade at the nest just as the eaters began to surge toward us with alarming speed.

The raspberry landed on the nest with a wet splat as Jessie quickly lobbed the other one right at the approaching horde. Then we ran back down the trail the way we'd come as fast as we could. Just seconds later, explosions erupted behind us in a thundering firestorm. We raced past the wreckage of the hell house, eaters screeching and flying to pieces in our wake, and dove to the ground on the other side of the old concrete pipe we'd been sitting on earlier.

When it was all over, I got up, took Jessie's hand, and helped her to her feet. Nearby, the area was covered with dead eaters and hatchlings, bits of them everywhere. There didn't seem to be any live ones left, and I turned to see Jessie brushing insect gore off her skin and clothes with a shudder of disgust, her nose curling in revulsion.

"Ugh! I am _so_ taking a shower when I get home," she grimaced.

I shrugged. "Well, at least we got 'em."

Jessie flicked a small piece of an eater's hide from my arm. "Yeah. I just forgot how messy it would be. You might wanna get cleaned up too after we get back, Cloud."

"I will. Let's check the nest before we head out."

We went back down the trail, trying to avoid stepping on bug parts as we went. The nest was now just a charred, blackened ruin, and there was nothing alive in the little clearing. Smoke hung in the air, and I felt the back of my throat start to itch. Jessie surveyed the mess, then did a little jump and thrust her fist into the air.

"We did it!" she cheered.

That was true enough. "Looks like it."

Jessie turned to me. "Cloud, if… if you'd like, I can talk to Tifa, see if she can pay you extra for taking out the nest. I know you didn't want to do it, so I'll make sure you're compensated."

I shook my head. "I think we can write this one off."

"Thank you," she smiled. "I really appreciate it. Now how about we call it a day and mosey on home?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "Sounds good, Jessie."

We headed back down the trail, past the destroyed hell house, over the large junk piles, and back down to the dirt road leading to Sector 7. When we got there, I went to the overturned cart to check and see if it could be salvaged, but Jessie sighed and shook her head. "I'm afraid it's a bust, Cloud. I'll have to go over to Sector 4 tomorrow and search the scrapyards for spare parts to make us another one."

"Think you can find 'em?" I wondered.

"Oh, yeah! I'm really good at that. And once I do, it won't take long to build a new cart. Then we'll be back on track!"

We went on, Jessie chatting as much to herself as to me, the sound of her voice undeniably cheerful in the growing twilight. The shadows grew longer as we made our way to Sector 7, and by the time we got to the outskirts, the area was shrouded in gloom. Too much for my liking, and my eyes darted from one dark patch to another. There weren't any streetlamps out here, only in the town itself, their warm glow just a few faint pinpricks in the distance.

We had only gone a little further when ten figures suddenly melted out of the darkness and surrounded us, weapons in their hands and old dirty masks on their faces. The blue vests and orange mohawks clearly marked them as Vice thugs. Instantly I drew Buster as Jessie pulled out her gun and took aim at the nearest goon. He tightened his grip on his iron pipe and glared at her with dark, beady eyes.

"We want what ya stole from us, girl," he growled.

Jessie narrowed her eyes. "Not gonna happen. But if you want us to give you another good thrashing, I'm game."

"You the one that's gonna get thrashed, missy!"

I spun Buster around in a tight circle in front of me before holding it ready again. "Get lost. Now."

The goon snarled as three others turned and ran. "Cowards!"

"Ha! Guess they didn't wanna play," Jessie snickered.

"Shut up! That chip's worth a lotta gil, so either give it back or we're gonna take it outta yer hide, ya little bitch!"

Jessie cocked trigger of her gun. "No way in hell."

"Wrong answer!" he yelled. "Get 'em, boys! Kill the spikey one, but don't mess up the girl too bad jus' yet. We wanna have our fun with her first before we finish her."

I glared at him, tightening my grip on Buster's hilt. "Try it and you won't live long enough to regret it."

Two more thugs ran away, but the remaining five charged at us. We leaped into action, Jessie dodging a few incoming blows as I sliced one of the thugs across the chest with a few quick cuts and blocked a swing from the goon who'd done the talking. His pipe clanged against Buster, then I spun around to try and get in low at him.

He managed to deflect the attack at the last moment and swung at me again. Again I knocked it aside, casting a glance over at Jessie to see her shooting down one of her attackers. But one of the other two goons closed in on her before she could shift her aim, knocking the gun from her hands and sending her staggering back a few steps.

I tried to reach her, but the lead thug charged at me with a flurry of swinging blows. Although I blocked them easily enough, slamming his arm out wide before quickly cutting him down with a backhand slash, I was still too late. Just as Jessie knocked one of her attackers out of the fight with a quick kick to the face, the other thug came rushing in with an ugly spiked wooden bat in his hands and smashed it across the side of her head. She cried out in pain, spinning from the impact, and then fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

My eyes widened. "Jessie!"

The thug stood over her, raised his bat over his head for the killing blow, and started to swing. But it never landed. Knowing I couldn't get to him before he struck, I called upon my materia's magic, and a bolt of lighting shot out and slammed into the thug's chest, hurling him into a nearby pile of broken junk with a clattering of metal that drowned out the single startled squawk he'd been able to make.

I ran to Jessie, picking up her gun and shouldering Buster as I did, and knelt down in front of her. She was unconscious, blood streaming down the left side of her face from her temple and staining the ground a deep red. Taking her gently in my arms, I stood up, gazed at her for a moment, and then hurried to the _Seventh_ _Heaven_.


	6. FIVE

## FIVE

I was busy working behind the bar when the doors suddenly burst open. At the sound, I looked up and gasped, my eyes widening and the glass I'd been carrying slipping out of my hand to shatter on the floor. I raced over to see Cloud as he hurried toward me carrying Jessie, badly hurt and unconscious, in his arms.

"Jessie!" I breathed.

Wedge joined us, bolting up from his usual table in alarm when he saw what was happening. Ignoring the hushed murmurs of the crowd, I took Jessie's wrist, not liking the sight of the blood streaked down the side of her face. Her pulse was weak but steady as I looked up at Cloud. "What happened!?"

"We got jumped by more Vice thugs on the way back here," he told me. "One of 'em took her down before I could stop him. Struck her on the head with some kind of nail bat."

"Damn…" Wedge swore.

I turned to him. "Wedge, find Barret and tell him to send everyone out. Close up the bar, understand?"

"Right. Anything else?"

"Bring me a set of clean cloths and the first aid kit from behind the counter as soon as you're done," I said. Then I looked at Cloud. "Cloud, come with me. Take her upstairs and put her in your room. It's the only spare bed we've got, so it'll have to do for now."

He nodded. "Got it."

While Wedge hurried off to get Barret, I led Cloud upstairs and to the room he'd been staying in. He gently laid Jessie down onto the bed, and I leaned in to take a closer look at her wound. It looked pretty bad, with blood still seeping out from the gouges the nail bat had left in her temple. I carefully turned her head to the side as Wedge hurried in and handed me the supplies. Taking out some cloths and gauze bandages, I got to work cleaning the wound and binding it up. Then I looked at the potions in the first aid kit and took out one that was a little darker than the others. It was a stronger variety, made for more serious injuries and harder to find here in the slums than normal potions typically were. As I opened it, I glanced up at the guys.

"Cloud, hold her up for a minute, will you?" I asked. "Wedge, open her mouth so I can give her this."

They did as I'd instructed, and I slowly poured the hi-potion down Jessie's throat. Between Wedge and I, we got her to swallow it, and then Cloud eased her back down onto the pillow. I unbuckled her metal vest and put it aside along with her black chain shirt and boots, leaving the rest of her clothes alone, so that she would be more comfortable. Then I pulled the blankets up to her chest.

"Will she be alright?" Cloud asked.

I laid a hand on Jessie's shoulder for a moment before standing up. "I think so. That potion should help heal the wound. But she still needs to rest for a while. And she'll probably have quite a headache when she wakes up. I don't envy her that."

Wedge grimaced. "Man, Biggs is gonna be _pissed_ …"

I didn't doubt it. Biggs cared for Jessie as if she were a sister, and he wasn't going to like what had happened to her tonight. I'd have to keep an eye on him and Wedge to make sure they didn't rush off in search of the Vice gang to try and get some payback. Wedge wasn't likely to do it on his own, but Biggs had a way of dragging him into things like that. I just hoped this wouldn't be one of those times.

"I know, Wedge," I agreed. "But you two are _not_ to go after the Vice gang, understand? We don't need that right now."

He scratched his head. "Sure, Tifa. But you know how he gets."

"Yeah, I do. I'll handle him, though."

"Alrighty," Wedge said. "Guess I'll let you tell him, then. I'm gonna go get a snack. I'll put the first aid kit away, too."

I handed it to him. "Thanks, Wedge."

After he left, Cloud turned to me. "Tifa. We need to talk."

"About what?" I asked.

He folded his arms in front of him. "That chip Jessie stole. What is it? What's it for?"

"How did you know about that?" I stared at him.

"One of the Vice thugs mentioned it. This is the second time those guys have gone after her. It's gotta be part of her secret project. The one you can't tell me about. But that thing's nearly gotten Jessie killed twice now. That means it's pretty damned important. Important enough that she's willing to risk her life for it. So what is it?"

I should have known I couldn't keep this from him forever. He was clearly putting some of the pieces together already. I had just hoped to have more time before bringing him in. But there wasn't much helping that now. And Jessie had been hurt because of what we were preparing to do. I wasn't going to let that happen again.

I sighed and nodded. "Come downstairs and I'll tell you."

* * *

I went with Tifa back to the common room, which was empty now except for Wedge and two others. One was a little girl, probably around four or five, her dark red hair hanging just above the small shoulders of her pink dress. She looked at me with wide, curious eyes as she sat on a nearby table, her legs swinging over the edge.

Not far from her stood one of the biggest men I had ever seen. His arms and legs were like tree trunks, a flaming skull tattoo imprinted on the dark skin of his upper left arm. He wore a sleeveless brown leather vest with a high, wide collar over his black tank top, and a pair of olive green cargo pants covered his legs. His belt and boots were also brown leather along with the bracer on his left forearm. From his neck hung a set of dog tags, and his hair was buzzed short and as black as the beard on his craggy face. He scowled at me with a pair of light brown eyes as hard as they were suspicious.

The oddest thing, though, was the man's right arm. He didn't have a forearm or hand on that side. A massive gatling gun had been grafted on below the elbow, and I had no doubt it was loaded. I wondered how he had lost his arm but then decided it didn't matter. He was definitely dangerous. But then again, so was I.

I glanced at Tifa. "Who's this, Tif? Your bouncer?"

"Sort of," she chuckled. "Barret's a friend."

"Guess this explains why nobody gives you any trouble," I told her. "The guy's a tank on legs."

Barret snorted. "The hell's that sp'osed to mean, jackass?"

"I think he means you're good at your job," Tifa interjected before I could reply. She glared at us both. "And that's all. Clear?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Barret grumbled.

I shrugged. "Fine. Now what's going on?"

"Before I tell you, Cloud, let me ask you something first," Tifa said. "You hate Shinra, right? I know you do."

"Yeah. I left, didn't I?"

Barret clenched his fist. _"What!?_ You was in Shinra, punk?"

"Yeah, that's right," I narrowed my eyes. "SOLDIER First Class. Got a problem with that?"

"Bet your ass I do! Them Shi—"

"Barret!" Tifa's eyes were like daggers. "That's enough!"

This guy was really starting to get on my nerves. What did Tifa see in him? He was her friend? She, Jessie, and Wedge had all talked about him now and then over the past two weeks, but this was the first time I had actually seen him myself. Between fighting eaters with Wedge and going with Jessie on her trips across the slums, I'd been pretty busy and hadn't actually spent much time at the bar.

Wedge was just gaping at me. "You were in SOLDIER?"

"I just said that, didn't I?" I snapped.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed. "No wonder you fight so good! Barret, you _gotta_ come out with us sometime and see! Cloud's amazing! He'll really be a big help to us, I know it!"

Barret shook his head. "I don't need help from no goddamn Shinra ex-SOLDIER merc!"

"You won't find better," I shot back.

"If you so good, then how come Jessie's lyin' upstairs in bed all hurt an' bruised? Ain't you s'posed to be lookin' out for her?"

 _Now_ he had done it. "News flash, wiseass! She wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for me. And I don't remember asking for your opinion. Not that I care about it anyway. Or you."

"I just _knew_ this would happen," Tifa groaned. "Can you two _please_ just shut up for a minute!?"

"Come on, guys, let's cool off, alright?" Wedge added.

Barret grumbled to himself, casting angry glances at me, but I just ignored him. He wasn't worth it. "Go ahead, Tifa."

"Alright. Hating Shinra is something we've all got in common. You, me, Barret, and Wedge. Jessie, too. A lot of people hate them, but we're part of a little group that's been trying to do something about it. So far, we've been talking to the people here and putting up posters and such. That kind of thing. But we're working on doing something bigger. And we could really use your help, Cloud."

"Wait…" I blinked. I was starting to get it now. "Those signs posted around the slums. _You're_ Avalanche?"

Tifa nodded. "Yeah. There's another guy, too, but he's not here now. You'll meet him later, though. It's just the five of us, but I'm hoping that you'll make it six. Will you?"

"Depends on how much you're offering," I said. "But first, I need to know what the job is."

"Fair enough," she agreed. "Barret?"

He grunted. "You breathe a word 'bout this, SOLDIER boy, an' you gonna wish you'd been born dead."

I raised an eyebrow. "How about two words?"

"We're going to attack Mako Reactor 1," Tifa stated.

For a moment, I just stared at her. No wonder she'd kept it quiet. It was _insane._ "Seriously? And whose bright idea was this?"

"That'd be me," Barret rumbled. "I'm the leader of this group."

I shook my head. "You have _got_ to be kidding me…"

Tifa went on. "That chip Jessie stole, it's part of a device we're going to use to shut down the reactor."

"A bomb," I said. It all made sense now.

"Damn straight!" Barret pumped his fist. "We gonna blow out that thing's core, shut it the hell down for a good long while. That'll the give the planet a little room to breathe."

I couldn't believe it. "Gimme a break…"

"Security's probably going to be pretty heavy," Tifa continued. "And that's where you come in."

"You expect me to go along with this?" I asked.

She sighed. "Name your fee."

"Fifteen hundred," I told her. "Not a gil less."

Barret snorted. "Yeah, you a merc, awright. The goddamn money's the only thing you care 'bout, ain't it?"

"Hole in one," I answered.

"Can't you see what's goin' on here? The planet's cryin' out in pain! Don't you tell me you can't hear it! I know you can!"

He was crazy. Had to be. "Get help."

"What'd you say, merc!?" Barret got up in my face.

I didn't budge. "Cut the screaming. It's giving me a headache."

Tifa's eyes blazed. "Enough! Fifteen hundred it is."

"You outta your mind?" Barret fumed. "He was with Shinra! I don't trust him! An' that fee's way too damn high."

"He can do this, Barret! I know he can! And we can afford it."

I could already tell Tifa wasn't going to back down. Barret did too, throwing his arms up in resignation before stomping outside. At one of the nearby tables, Wedge was still busy eating, a bag of chips on his lap as he sat facing us. For a moment, his crunching was the only sound in the room. Then I looked back at Tifa.

"When are we pulling this off?" I wondered.

She thought for a moment. "I'm not sure yet. We still need to find a few more components for the bomb. Jessie's putting it together. We also need to get access codes for the doors and a set of blueprints that show the layout of the place. A month, maybe a little more."

I nodded. "Alright. But when it's all over, I'm outta here."

"Cloud!" she breathed. "Why?"

Wedge stopped crunching. "C'mon, Cloud! You gotta stay! You just gotta! We need you, bro!"

"I didn't come here to join your little revolution," I insisted.

Tifa stepped closer to me. "But—"

"No buts, Tifa," I told her. "Going up against Shinra is suicide. You have to know that. So why are you doing this?"

"Because I can't do nothing. I'd go crazy if I did."

I sighed. "Whatever. Is there a place I can crash for tonight?"

She motioned to the pinball machine by the kitchen. "Remember I said this one was out of order? That's just a cover. It's really an elevator. Wedge, why don't you show Cloud the basement? I'll stay up here with Marlene and put her to bed upstairs."

"Sure thing, Tifa!" Wedge jumped to his feet.

"That girl's your daughter?" I stared at Tifa. That was unexpected, though it might have explained her devotion to this crazy little crusade of hers. I'd had no idea she'd been so busy.

Tifa laughed. "No. But I love her as if she were. Marlene is Barret''s little girl, and he's very devoted to her."

I blinked. "Him? That walking frown's her father?"

"Yes, he is," she put her hands on her hips. "And I really wish you'd try to get along with him, Cloud."

That wasn't likely. "Not interested."

I walked over to the rigged pinball machine by the kitchen, ending the discussion as Wedge caught up to me while Tifa busied herself with tending to Marlene. She took the girl's hand, and they walked upstairs, leaving me alone with Wedge. He stood at the front of the pinball table, put his fingers on both flipper buttons, and pressed them both at once. There was a slight jolt, and the lift descended. A few moments later, we touched down, and I followed Wedge inside.

"Welcome to our hideout, Cloud," he grinned.

The basement was mainly just a room with gray concrete walls and pipes running along the ceiling. In the middle of it stood a large metal conference table strewn with papers, and a big screen TV dominated a far corner of the place. It was turned off at the moment, though. In the middle of the wall next to it hung a whiteboard with what looked like a rough diagram of a reactor's interior drawn on it.

But there was a lot that was still missing, and so I figured that must have been why Tifa and the rest still needed to get their hands on a set of actual blueprints. On the near side of the TV, a banner decorated the other wall. On it was a skull and crossbones on a red background, and a large red "A" had been sewn in the middle of the skull where its nasal cavity should have been.

I sighed. "This is your base?"

"Yep!" Wedge nodded. He pointed at a small desk and chair sitting to the right. "That's Jessie's computer over there, under the banner. She hacks into Shinra's mainframe and gets us all kinds of information. I'm not too good at that stuff myself, but she's a real genius! She's never told us how she learned it all, though."

I already knew that, but I didn't say so to him. Jessie had told me a little, back when we had destroyed the hell house, but I knew there was a lot more to it. She had said as much herself, and I wondered just what those secrets were that she couldn't even tell her friends. I had a hunch it was probably a long story.

"Doesn't matter," I said. "She gets the job done."

"Well, that's true. She does. Jessie's really great like that, you know? Say, wanna hear why I joined up?"

I didn't. "No. But you're probably gonna tell me anyway."

Wedge sat down at the table and grinned at me. "Oh, yeah! I mean, if you really didn't wanna know, I don't think you'd still be here. I think you'd have gone back upstairs already or something."

"Still could," I said.

"Nah, I know you're interested! You just pretend not to be 'cause ya wanna look all cool and badass, that's all. I get it."

I shrugged. "If you say so."

"Hah!" he laughed. "I knew it! Well, anyway, here goes. My brother and I grew up here in the slums—he's a few years younger than me. It's always been us and our parents. They still live here in Sector 7, but I've been in my own place for a while now."

I sighed. "This have a point somewhere?"

"Sure it does, Cloud! I'm getting there, don't worry. Now, let's see… oh, yeah. I've always wanted to be part of something bigger than I was. Make a difference somehow, you know? And Shinra's never done squat about the monsters down here. I've had friends hurt by those eaters out there, too many, so I joined the neighborhood watch."

"That's where Barret found you?" I guessed.

He nodded. "Yep! About three years ago. I was in the outskirts one day blasting eaters when I saw this little girl walking down the path all by herself. It was Marlene, of course, but she was just a baby back then. Only a year old. Cutest thing I ever saw!"

I leaned against the wall. "Where was Barret?"

"Well, one of the eaters spotted Marlene and went after her. I saw it and ran to her, shooting the bug before it could eat her. Barret showed up just after that happened, yelling for Marlene. I had picked her up to keep her safe, holding her in one arm and blasting my rifle at the bugs with the other. There were a bunch of them, though, and I was starting to get low on ammo. That's when Barret came up next to us and started laying into the eaters with that gun-arm of his."

"Good timing," I said.

Wedge chuckled. "The best! We got rid of the rest of the bugs after that, and I handed Marlene back to him. He'd left her with a babysitter, but she had gotten away when the lady wasn't looking, and Barret was furious when he went to pick up his daughter and found out she wasn't there. Good thing I was on patrol that day."

I had to agree. "No kidding."

"I know, right?" he said. "Anyway, we chatted on the way back, and when he found out that I hated Shinra about as much as he did, he said we should work together to find others like us and do something about it. So I was his first recruit. Avalanche had been on his mind for a long time, but that's when it really started."

"End of story," I put in. I'd heard enough.

Wedge stood up. "If you say so, Cloud. Thanks for listening. There are a few cots in the next room—it's just through the door over there in the corner near the elevator. It might be a little hard to find with all the pipes, but it's there. Just pick whichever one you want whenever you go to bed, alright? Oh, but watch out! Barret snores really loud. I've had to come out here with a pillow and blanket sometimes, it gets so bad. Just thought I'd give you a heads up."

I straightened up. "Thanks for the warning."

"No problem! So are you gonna crash now? The girls are probably already in bed, and Barret'll probably be down here soon."

"In a bit. There's someone I gotta see first."

Wedge followed me as I went to the elevator. "Oh, you mean Jessie? She'll be alright. She's cute, don't you think?"

I stopped just before reaching the pinball machine. "I guess so. You interested in her?"

"Nah, we're just friends. But I think you are."

"I'm just helping her out," I said. "A favor for Tifa. That's all."

Wedge smirked. "Believe that if you want to, bro. I sure don't. But I won't say anything, either."

Ignoring him, I rode the lift upstairs back to the common room. It was empty, and I figured Barret must still have been simmering around outside somewhere. I was glad for that, not wanting to get into another argument with him tonight. I hurried across the room and climbed the stairs to the second floor before he could show up.

* * *

" _What!?"_ Biggs yelled.

His voice was so loud I had to move the phone away from my head for a moment. Then I brought it back and said it again. "You heard me. Jessie's hurt pretty bad. She and Cloud were attacked by Vice gangsters on the way here. I think she'll be alright, though."

"You sure, Tifa?" he asked.

"I hope so. She took a nasty blow to the head, Biggs, and it left a lot of blood. She's all bandaged up now, and I was able to give her a strong potion with help from Wedge and Cloud. That'll help, but she's not out of the woods just yet."

He sighed. "Can I talk to her?"

"No," I shook my head. "She's still unconscious, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. She's just asleep, that's all. And that's probably the best thing for her recovery right now."

"Damn… I am _so_ gonna—"

"You'll do no such thing!" I cut him off.

I kept my voice low so as to avoid waking Marlene, who was laying in bed next me, sleeping soundly. She was adorable when she slept, and I brushed a few strands of her dark red hair from her face. I was on my side, gazing fondly at her, but when I heard Biggs start to protest on the phone, I rolled onto my back and let a long sigh hiss through my teeth. Wedge had been right, of course. Biggs was _livid._

"The hell I won't!" he protested. "Those goddamn bastards almost killed her! I'm gonna go pound the shit out of 'em!"

I frowned. "No, Biggs! I mean it!"

"Why not, Tifa? Somebody's gotta teach 'em they can't hurt her and think they'll get away with it!"

I got up as quietly as I could and stepped out into the hall. Looked like this wasn't going to be a quiet conversation after all. Of course with Biggs, that wasn't unusual. He'd always been impulsive, with a tendency to act before trying to think things through, and it had gotten him and Wedge into trouble more times than I could count. I leaned against the wall, determined to get my point across.

"We're getting ready for a major operation against Shinra, our first ever, and they're bound to strike back at us somehow after it's done. We don't need Vice giving us problems on top of that."

He snorted. "They already givin' us problems, Tifa!"

Of course they were. "I know that. But the last thing we need right now is to have you and Wedge going after them to get even and ending up getting yourselves hurt or killed in the process."

"So what are we supposed to do? Just sit on our asses?"

"Wedge is doing his duty out on patrol with Cloud. He's not happy about what happened either, but he knows that we've got more pressing concerns than vengeance. Just take care of your sister, Biggs, and leave Vice to me. I'll handle it."

"What do you mean, you'll handle it?" he asked.

I had the beginnings of a plan forming in the back of my mind, but it wasn't fully laid out yet. Still, it was something. And, while I hated to admit it, Biggs did have a point. Vice wasn't going to stop their attacks until we forced them to. It about more than just money for them now. I think it had become a matter of pride. And that made them even more dangerous. They were out for blood—Jessie's blood.

First, she had snuck into their hideout and stolen the chip right out from under them. Then, just when they thought they'd had her, Cloud had leaped in and saved her, and together they had given the Vice gang a bloody nose. And tonight, the gang had sent a second group of thugs after her and would have killed her if not for Cloud. Jessie had become a thorn in their side, and I knew they wouldn't rest until she was dead. It was the humiliation, I think, as much as the loss of profit, that really agitated them. That they'd been beaten by a clever girl from the slums. Not just once, but three times. And that was a blow they weren't about to forget. They had to be stopped.

But not by Biggs and Wedge. They'd just charge in headfirst trying to beat up whoever they could find, and while they might take some of the thugs down, the rest would quickly overwhelm them. They weren't seasoned in combat, and fighting men was very different from clearing out eaters. They'd gotten into their share of brawls over the years, but it wasn't the same as a life and death battle. What was needed against the Vice gang was someone skilled in that kind of combat.

Someone like a former SOLDIER First Class.

"Let's just say I've got a plan," I answered Biggs. "One that'll smack Vice into the ground and keep them from going after Jessie again. But I need you to promise me you won't touch them."

"Tifa!" he protested.

I wasn't going to let him get out of it. "Promise me! Stay away from them or I'll kick your ass myself! Clear?"

"Yeah, yeah…" he grumbled. "I promise."

"Good, that's settled then. How's Lena? I hope you'll bring her over to the bar sometime to visit."

Biggs laughed. "She's doin' better, thanks. Lena's a tough cookie, I'll tell ya that. Kinda like Jessie. Still gonna stick around for a while longer to give her a hand and make sure she'll be okay before I head back. But don't you worry, Tifa. I'll bring her over. I talk with her about you guys all the time, although not about what we're involved in. She knows I'm in Avalanche, but that's all. Not gonna burden her with anything more than that. It'd just make her worry."

"Well, I'm looking forward to seeing her again," I smiled.

"Feeling's mutual on her end. So anyway, Wedge told me about the new guy on the team. How's he workin' out?"

I slipped softly back into my room now that things seemed to have settled down. Marlene was still out, and I laid down next to her before answering Biggs' question. I was really glad Cloud was back in my life, but I worried about him. And I hadn't figured out yet how to keep him from leaving after the mission was over. I didn't want him to go. But at least I still had time to figure it out.

I answered Biggs softly to avoid waking Marlene. "He's doing well. Thanks to him and Wedge, we've had less monster attacks around here than we've had in months. He's also been keeping Jessie safe while she's out on those trips of hers to do her work. And he saved her from those Vice thugs both times. She's alive because of him."

"Then I'm glad to have him," Biggs said. "Sounds like he's quite the professional. Unlike most of us."

"You could say that," I chuckled.

He went on. "Well, guess I should be gettin' some shut-eye. I'll stop by tomorrow to see Jessie. Let her know, alright?"

"I will, Biggs," I assured him.

"Alright, then. I'm out. Night, Tifa."

I wished him goodnight, and then we both hung up. After turning off my phone and putting it on the nightstand next to the bed, I pulled up the covers and rolled onto my side. But just before I closed my eyes, I planted a soft kiss on Marlene's forehead. She stirred a little but didn't wake as I let sleep take me at last.

* * *

Jessie was still asleep when I walked quietly into the bedroom, but Tifa must have come in sometime after taking care of Marlene because her hair looked different. Her ponytail had been undone, likely to help make her more comfortable, and her red bandana had been untied and taken off. Tifa had set it on the dresser along with the rest of her things before leaving, and Jessie's long, auburn hair was spread out in a fan on the pillows. I couldn't deny that I liked it.

I pulled up a chair from the corner of the room and sat down next to the bed, not really sure what I was doing or why. Only that I wanted to be here when she woke up. My eyes lingered on her as she slept, and Wedge's words echoed in my mind as I sat there, Buster leaning against the wall next to me. Sure, Jessie and I got along pretty well, and I didn't mind her company. But was that all? Or was Wedge right?

I shook off the thought with an effort, realizing that it didn't really matter much since I wasn't going to be sticking around after we pulled off the reactor mission and I got my money. Jessie was a nice girl, but I knew she'd be fine without me, especially once we finished building the Hardy and she wouldn't have to worry about being attacked on the way through the slums to see her customers.

But then I leaned forward, my breath catching in my throat, when she stirred and opened her eyes. She put a hand to the side of her head where Tifa had bandaged it and winced. "Ohhh…"

"You okay, Jessie?" I asked.

She looked at me and smiled. "I'll live, Cloud. I think…"

I was glad to hear it. "How do you feel?"

"Like I just got broadsided by an elphadunk," Jessie grimaced. "My head is killing me. But better that than the alternative, I guess. Did Tifa leave me anything for it?"

I spotted a glass of water and two pills on the dresser. "Yeah. Hang on, I'll get 'em for you."

I stood up, took the drink and the medicine, and set them onto the small nightstand next to the bed as Jessie sat up. When she was done, I handed her the pills and the glass, noticing that Tifa had also taken her gloves off as well. As for mine, I still had them on. Jessie swallowed the pills and the water, then gave the glass back to me. I had just set it back on the nightstand and was about to return to my chair when she patted the sheets next to her.

"Why don't you sit over here?" she said.

I sat down near her on the edge of the bed. "Better?"

"Much," Jessie smirked. "You know, waking up to see you here was worth the price of admission."

"Just don't make a habit of it," I replied.

She laughed. "Believe me, I won't. Were you… worried about me?"

I'd have been lying if I'd said no. When Jessie had fallen, hit by that thug, my heart had almost stopped, the sight of blood streaming down the side of her face scaring me half to death. And I didn't want to think about what would have happened if I had been a few seconds too slow. Maybe it was becoming more than just a favor now, keeping her safe. I didn't know. And I wasn't sure I wanted to.

I blinked. "Well, I…"

"Sounds like a yes to me," Jessie quipped. And then her eyes found mine. "My hero saved me again."

"Wasn't fast enough this time, though. Sorry."

She shook her head. "It's okay. I'm alive, aren't I? You were there for me when I needed you. That's all that matters."

"It's what I'm here for," I said.

"Then I'm in good hands," Jessie replied. "Although they're covered by some dirty gloves at the moment."

I pulled them off and set them aside. "How's that?"

"Very nice," Jessie smiled. "So is this your bed? It's comfy."

It was, sort of. "Yeah. Don't be getting any bright ideas, though. I'm not that kinda guy."

"Ha! You've got some wit, Cloud. I like it!"

"Glad you approve," I said, the corner of my mouth curling up.

She chuckled. "Oh, I do. Guess it's only fair I get to be in your bed, too. After all, you got to be in mine."

"Sure picked a hell of a way to get there, though," I told her.

"I suppose I did, didn't I?" Jessie giggled. "But even so, it's still nice to be here. And the company's not bad, either."

We sat in silence for a while, neither of us meeting the other's eyes at first. My gaze drifted down to her hands, the fingers slim and small, more than her gloves had made them seem. The nails were plain, same as her toes, but clean. My own hand wasn't so far from hers, laying as it was upon the sheets there. I remembered then how I had inadvertently found myself holding her hand the day I had first started escorting her on her trips across the slums. But I couldn't bring myself to take it now as I looked back up at her, although part of me wanted to.

"Listen, Jessie," I said, desperately needing to change the subject so I could get my nerves back under control. "Tifa told me about the chip. And about the bomb. Avalanche, too."

She sighed. "Guess my little secret's out, huh?"

"I asked her to tell me. Didn't want you getting hurt again."

"Aw, the hardened fighter has a soft spot after all," Jessie laughed. "I guess I should be flattered. It's not every girl that has a strong, devoted mercenary looking out for her. And one that's so easy on the eyes, too. Makes me feel special, you know? But really… thank you."

I nodded. "Sure."

"So, Cloud… will you help us? To fight Shinra, I mean."

"Tifa and Barret are paying me to help with the Reactor 1 mission. But after that, I'm gone."

Jessie's eyes widened. "But why? I… I-I mean we… need you."

I had been over this already with the others. "I'm not here to join a rebellion, Jessie. I'm here for the paycheck."

"You really _are_ a mercenary, aren't you?" she murmured.

"That's what I do. And besides, I can't stand Barret. He annoys the hell outta me. Just the thought of having to deal with him for six more weeks or so makes my head hurt."

Jessie shrugged. "It's true he's not the easiest guy to get along with. But you know, Cloud, you're not exactly Mr. Personality yourself. I like you, and that's why I'm telling you this. I know how much you like that badass, tough guy image you're always wearing. But there's more to you than that. I've seen it in the way you are with me. I don't think it would hurt for you to show the others that side of you."

"I'm not gonna be around very long," I said. "What's the point?"

"It'll make the time you're with us a bit easier. And it's always good to have friends, Cloud."

I folded my arms in front me. "Not making any promises."

Her mouth twisted into a wry grin. "I wasn't expecting you to. And as for Barret, just bear with him for me, would you?"

"Easier said than done," I pointed out.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find a way," Jessie winked. "But you'll still help me in the meantime?"

That wasn't in doubt. "Yeah. We've got a bike to finish."

"And more trips to make once we put together a new cart. Can't be keeping my customers waiting."

"Right. Sure you're up to it?" I asked.

Jessie rubbed the side of her head where it hurt. "I'll probably have to take it easy for a day or two, but I'll be fine."

"Sounds good," I said.

"For now, though," she yawned. "I think I'm gonna go back to sleep if you don't mind. See you in the morning?"

I stood up and put my gloves back on. "I'll be here."

Jessie laid back down, pulling the sheets up to her shoulders, and I started to go, my boots creaking on the wooden floor as I moved. I was almost to the door when I heard her voice again, cheerful and warm. I turned around to see her laying on her side and gazing at me, one hand resting under the pillow as her hair fell around her face. I could've lost myself in those deep brown eyes of hers.

"Sweet dreams, Cloud," she smiled. "Maybe I'll come see you there, if you're lucky."

"Can't say I'd mind," I admitted.

For a moment, we just looked at each other, and the ensuing quiet in the room was almost deafening in its presence. Then with an effort, I finally turned away and opened the door. But just before I entered the hall, I glanced over my shoulder. Jessie's eyes were closed now, and the whisper of her breathing was soft and regular as she fell asleep. Pulling my gaze away, I left the room, closed the door, and went downstairs to get some rest. But she never left my thoughts that night.


	7. SIX

## SIX

"Just a minute!" Jessie called.

I stood there outside her door early the next morning. Wedge was on his way to the outskirts to start today's patrol, and I was going to go meet him there in a bit. But first, I had wanted to come up here and see Jessie before I left. I figured she was alright, but I'd told her I'd visit her after she woke up. When I made a promise, I kept it. Even a mercenary like me has _some_ standards.

There was a bathroom across the hall, but nobody was there at the moment. Somebody had left the light on, though, and the fan. While I waited for Jessie, I switched them off and noticed a little steam hanging in the air. It had fogged up the mirror, too. Behind me, the door to the bedroom creaked open, and when I turned around, I froze in midstep. My eyes widened and I almost forgot how to breathe when I saw Jessie standing there in the doorway.

The only thing she was wearing was a plain white towel tied at the front so it wouldn't fall. Her skin was wet and glistening, and water ran down her arms and legs and dripped from her hair, which spilled over her shoulders and down her bare back. As I looked at her, my eyes slid down almost involuntarily to her chest, where she had tied two corners of the towel together. Although it hid her well enough, what I could see of her was still more than adequate and enough to set my heart racing. Jessie's cheeks were beet red, and I realized she was blushing furiously, her mouth hanging open as she stared at me.

She recovered before me, though, her mouth twisting into a smirk. "Hi, Cloud. Like what you see?"

"I, uh…" I swallowed. "Yeah, I… I do…"

"Oh, you _do_ know how to make a girl feel good! But anyway, I just got out of the shower. It felt so great to clean off all that bug stuff from yesterday, I tell ya. Looks like you got all scrubbed up as well. Too bad I missed catching _you_ like this, though."

I nodded. "Gotta find me early for that, Jessie."

"Ha!" she laughed. "Thanks for the tip. I'll have to remember that. But in the meantime, why don't you come in?"

As she said that, Jessie leaned forward a little and let her towel slide down ever so slightly, showing me a bit more of her modest curves but still keeping the best parts hidden. I stared, my eyes locked on her, and couldn't look away. I wasn't sure I actually wanted to. After a minute, I somehow managed to find my voice again.

"Alright," I said. "Lead the way."

Jessie turned around, still smiling, and went into the bedroom, her wet hair swishing with the movement. I followed her, not quite able to pull my gaze away as I saw water trickling down between her shoulder blades in little rivulets. She had a mole on one side, just a little knob of pink flesh nestled almost halfway down her back, and a light scattering of freckles dotted her fair skin.

When I was inside, she glanced over her shoulder. "Close the door, would you, Cloud?"

I did. "How's your head?"

"Better," she answered. "Still hurts a little, though."

"It'll pass," I assured her.

Jessie nodded, walking over to the bed. Her clothes and other gear were scattered all across it. "Tifa stopped by for a minute after I got up and had me drink another potion. That helped, though I'm pretty sure she secretly enjoyed watching me down that disgusting thing almost as much as you did."

"I'll bet," I smirked.

"Laugh all you want, Cloud," she grinned, "but for now, move over there and turn around."

I blinked. "What for?"

She chuckled, pointing to a spot near the wall. "Just do it, okay? Or were you hoping to watch me get dressed?"

"N-No, Jessie," I stammered. "Of course not."

"Aw, too bad…" she teased.

I nearly missed a step as I stood with my back to her. "What?"

There was a soft rustling sound behind me as Jessie unfastened the towel and dried herself off. "Nothing! So, you're heading out soon to go clear out more eaters with Wedge?"

"Yeah," I answered. "What about you?"

"I think I'll head downstairs to the basement today and see if I can get us the passcodes for the reactor doors. I meant to do it before, but I was busy working on the bomb. At least until the Vice gang showed up again. And since I'm already over here today anyway, I figured it would be a good time to get this done."

That made sense. "Can you find 'em?"

"Oh, yeah," she replied. "Shinra's system's are encrypted, of course, but I know ways to get in. I can get those passcodes, or at least find out where they're kept if they're not in the main database. Shinra has a few secondary mainframes around the city as well, so the files should be in one of those if they're not at central."

"Got it," I said.

My heart skipped a beat when the rustling stopped and something white and soft suddenly fluttered past me to land on the floor near my feet. Jessie's towel. I swallowed, my breathing as heavy as Buster, when I felt her hand come to rest on my right shoulder and heard her voice in my ear. "You'll come see me, won't you, Cloud?"

"Yeah…" I managed. "Soon as my patrol's done."

"Looking forward to it," Jessie promised, her breath warm and soft against the side of my face.

Then I heard her move away as she let go of me. My heart was still pounding like a jackhammer, though. A moment later, there was more rustling. She was finally getting dressed, and I felt a strange mixture of relief and disappointment as I waited there for her. I almost didn't want this intimate moment between us to end.

"You can look now," Jessie said.

I turned around. She was sitting on the edge of the bed in her olive pants and blue top, her hair still undone. After she slipped on her black chain shirt, she picked up her metal breastplate from where it was lying next to her and started buckling it on. There were clasps all along each side, and after she had fastened the ones on her right, Jessie settled the armored vest in place over her chest. I couldn't help noticing how snug a fit it was on her as she adjusted the front half of the breastplate before getting to work on the clasps down the left side.

When that was done, Jessie started on the shoulder straps, clicking the front clasps together easily enough. The ones in the back were a bit trickier. She handled the first one without any trouble, taking the strap on the right and reaching over her shoulder to click it in place without even looking. But the second one was more of a challenge. The clasp in the back was bent slightly out of shape and wouldn't close. Jessie bit her lip and kept trying to snap it together, but it wouldn't go.

She looked at me. "Hey, would you mind…?"

"I'll get it," I told her.

Jessie smiled and stood up, turning around with her back to me so I could help her. She lifted her hair up out of the way with both hands, and I couldn't ignore its slightly floral scent as I took hold of the clasp. Must've been from whatever she washed it with. I tried, without much success, not to think about how close she was to me. After a moment, I managed to fix the strap for her and get it nice and snug, but she didn't move away at first, although she did let her hair down.

Jessie turned her head to gaze up at me. "Thanks, Cloud."

I nodded. "No problem."

"That silly buckle's always given me trouble. It never seems to close quite right, you know? But you sure showed it who's boss, didn't you? I think you might just be a keeper after all."

"Better be," I said.

Jessie laughed, then sat back down and slid her pauldrons securely into place on her shoulders. After that, she put on her socks, boots, and gloves, then picked up her hair tie and pulled her auburn strands back into the high ponytail she liked to keep them in. Lastly, she reached for her red headband and started putting it on.

She motioned to me, and I leaned in close to help tie it in place for her. Jessie held it steady while I fastened the knot above and behind her ear, and when it was good and tight, I let go of it and stepped away. She touched it for a second or two before letting her hands drop down into her lap, her eyes warm as they met mine.

"I get it right?" I asked.

Jessie grinned. "Perfect! I should have you do it every time."

"If you need me to," I said.

"Awww, that's so sweet, Cloud, but I can manage," she chuckled. "I don't wanna impose. Still, it _was_ kinda nice. Maybe I'll let you help me out with it again later."

The corner of my mouth curled up. "Can't wait."

"Me either," she smirked. "Well, I guess we'd better go."

"Yeah," I agreed.

Jessie held out her hands. "Help a girl up?"

I didn't hesitate, taking them and gently pulling her to her feet, my eyes never leaving hers. Jessie and I just stood there for a moment, our fingers still linked together in front of us, and I suddenly found myself wishing I had taken her hand last night on the bed when we'd both had our gloves off. I decided then that maybe I would, if I ever got another chance. And I didn't think she'd mind. After we let go of each other, we headed into the hall and went downstairs.

* * *

I was in the basement with Marlene, throwing jabs at the punching bag over in the corner while she sat nearby and watched, when I heard the lift humming behind me. It was Jessie, looking so much better than she had last night. She smiled at us both as she walked into the room, a noticeable bounce in her step.

"Jessie!" Marlene cheered, rushing to meet her.

I laughed as Jessie swept her off her little feet and into a hug. It _was_ good to see her up and about again. Knowing she would be alright and actually seeing it firsthand were two very different things. When Jessie finally put Marlene down, I went over and embraced her myself. I had seen her earlier, of course, when I had gone in to check on her and give her that potion, but she'd still been in bed at the time.

I let go of her. "Feeling better?"

"Much," she said. "The pain's almost gone now, Tifa."

"So's the bruise," I added, looking at the place on her temple where she'd been hit. It was so faint now that it was nearly invisible. Normally it would have lasted a few days, but the potions were clearing it up well enough. I figured one more ought to do it, though I knew Jessie wasn't going to be looking forward to drinking it. Sure, they were unpleasant, but they did what they were meant to do. She certainly did seem to like complaining about them, though.

She reached up to touch the spot. "That's a relief. If I were all black and blue, Biggs would never let me hear the end of it."

"He's on his way here, actually," I told her.

That was true enough. After checking on Jessie this morning, I had given Biggs a call to let him know she'd woken up. He had let out a sigh of relief and said he'd be over here early this afternoon to see her. Lena was feeling better, from what he'd told me, but since she was, she'd had to start getting caught up on the work she'd missed, so she hadn't been able to make it over here today.

"Figured Biggs'd show up sooner or later once he found out," Jessie said. "Guess I'm in for a lecture, huh?"

She wasn't wrong. "I'd say so. He cares about you."

"I know, Tifa," Jessie nodded. "I didn't mean to worry you guys."

"It's okay. Barret was asking about you, too, before he left to do his rounds for the day. You gave us all a good scare, you know?"

Jessie laughed sheepishly. "Guess I did, huh?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "But you're alright, Jessie. That's all any of us cares about. So don't worry about it, okay?"

"Got it!" she grinned, sitting down at her desk.

As she switched on her computer, Marlene came over and stood by her. She liked to watch Jessie work sometimes, and although I wasn't as good at this sort of thing as she was, I still found it fascinating. So I sat nearby on her other side while Jessie put Marlene in front of her on her lap and started typing, her fingers moving so fast I could barely follow them. Occasionally she would let go with her right hand and do a bit of clicking with the mouse as she navigated the system.

Marlene looked up at her. "Are you really okay, Jessie?"

"Yeah, sweetie," she answered. "I'm fine now. Tifa took really good care of me last night and got me all patched up."

"Good! Did Cloud save you?"

Jessie paused, smiling dreamily. "He sure did. Twice."

Marlene's giggled. "Oh, wow! So he's a hero?"

"He's definitely _my_ hero, that's for sure," Jessie sighed longingly, her eyes far away. "I really like him…"

"Are you in love?" Marlene's eyes were wide and wondering.

Jessie and I exchanged a startled glance, both our jaws dropping at the same time. Marlene was smart and precocious, and while she didn't know much about what it all meant, she knew enough. I realized I was as nervous about Jessie's answer as she must've been herself. I was glad to see her so happy, but at the same time, I wasn't entirely sure yet how to feel about her liking Cloud that way. But I wasn't going to let it come in between us and damage our friendship.

She swallowed. "I, uh…"

"Out of the mouths of babes," I smirked.

"Tell me about it!" Jessie flashed me a nervous grin, and we shared a laugh together. "But really, about that…"

Before she could answer, though, the elevator hummed behind us, and we turned to look as it rose up into the ceiling. Then a minute later it descended again, this time with a familiar figure on it. An olive green T-shirt, darker green pants that went just past the knees, a pair of boots that, like Jessie's, were leather reinforced with metal, a shoulder harness and belt made of brown leather, matching fingerless gloves, short, wavy black hair, and a red headband just like Jessie's.

"Afternoon, ladies," Biggs waved.

"Biggs!" Marlene jumped down and ran to him.

His handsome and perpetually stubbly face broke into a grin. "Hey there, peanut. Lookin' pretty as always."

She put her hands on her hips. "You interrupted!"

He knelt down in front of her. "That so?"

"It is!" Marlene nodded. "Jessie was just about to tell us—"

"Alright, Marlene," I cut her off, not missing Jessie's sigh of relief or the grateful smile she gave me. "That's enough."

"But—!" she protested.

I shook my head. "No buts, young lady. Now go play, alright?"

She scampered across the room to do just that while Biggs blinked and scratched his head. "What was that all about?"

"Just a little girl talk," I teased. "None of your business."

"Figures," he laughed.

Then Jessie walked up. "Hi, Biggs. Guess I made you worry, huh?"

"You think?" he quipped.

Before she could answer, Biggs slid his arms around her, giving her a hug that was just long enough to show his concern but not so long as to cause any awkwardness. He knew his boundaries. Jessie had decided on them a long time ago. They were close, but only to a point. She had been an emotional mess when she had first left the plate to come down to the slums almost two years ago, but I only knew a little about it. She had never talked much about her past, and down here, that was usually the rule rather than the exception.

From what Jessie had confided in me, I knew that coming here was something she hadn't wanted to do, and in getting off the plate, she had been forced to leave behind someone very special to her. Someone she had loved. Jessie had never told me his name, though. Only that he had been a soldier and that they had both known it wasn't safe for her to be on the plate any longer.

I didn't understand it all—Jessie had only shared bits and pieces of her story with me—but I knew she'd had a full life on the plate, a career she had enjoyed, good friends, and the guy she had been involved with. But she'd had to abandon it all to stay alive and stay ahead of whatever or whoever had been after her. She had never told me what it was, only that the slums had been the safest place for her.

Jessie had met us only a few months after that, and Biggs had taken to her immediately. But she had still been hurting even though she had always tried to hide it behind a cheerful front. None of the others knew even today just how much she had gone through in coming down here. I had found her outside late one night not long after she had become a part of our little group, leaning up against the porch railing and crying bitterly, her face wet with tears. She had been looking up at the plate as if she could still see all that she'd lost.

A moment later, she had been in my arms, and I had held her until she had worn herself out. And when she had finished, she had told me a little about the life and love she'd had to leave behind. There had been a lot of nights like that back then, and I was always there for her. That's how we got to be so close. And I told her a bit about my own life, about Cloud and growing up in Nibelheim and other things. Sometimes, our talks would go on until the early morning hours, but we never cared. It was good just to have that time together.

When Biggs had gone to Jessie and expressed his interest in her, he had come on too strong, too soon. It had only been about four months since she had left the plate, and she'd still been heartsick and struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and put them back together. I knew Biggs hadn't meant to cause her any pain, and so did she. But she just hadn't been comfortable with his advances, so she had told him as much as kindly as she could.

To his credit, Biggs had taken her gentle rejection very well, and he had respected her wishes ever since, though he'd spent more than a few late nights at the bar talking with me about it over a drink or two after everyone else had left. But I didn't mind. I listened and talked with him about her and about his feelings, helping him to sort through it all and accept how things had turned out.

Eventually, he had healed. They both had, and their friendship had become a close and wonderful one since then. They would do anything for each other and cared for each other like the brother and sister they might as well have been. And that was enough for them.

Jessie let go of him and shrugged. "Sorry for scaring ya."

"Damn near gave me a heart attack, Jessie," Biggs said. "Why'd you go stealing from Vice in the first place?"

"They had the chip, Biggs. And we needed it. I don't have any idea where they stole it from, but it doesn't matter. I've been keeping my ear to the ground for a while now to find the parts for the bomb, and while I'm on my trips for work, I hear things too. People talk, you know? So I found out about the chip and went after it."

Biggs frowned. "But why'd you go by yourself?"

"I had to get it before Vice sold it, and I knew that wouldn't be long with how valuable it was. And also… I knew Barret wouldn't let me do it otherwise. So I just went anyway."

"Should've taken me and Wedge with you," he told her.

Jessie shook her head. "I didn't want to put you guys in danger, and I knew I'd have a better chance of pulling it off if I was alone instead of in a group. I swiped it, but a few of them saw me on the way out. I had to run all the way back here to get away."

Biggs sighed. "And nearly got yourself killed as a result."

"It was either steal the chip from Vice or try to break into a Shinra storehouse to get one. And I decided that nabbing it from Vice was the easier and safer way. Guess I was wrong, though. They've tried to get it back twice now and do me in at the same time. I'm just hoping that the third time won't be the charm."

"It won't be," I insisted. "I'll see to it."

"What do you mean, Tifa?" Jessie wondered.

I took her shoulder for a moment. "It's nothing you need to worry about, okay? Your big sister's taking care of it."

She nodded, then went back to her computer. Biggs went with her, watching and chatting with her as she worked. While they were busy, I took out my phone and sat down at the table. I had a better idea of how to handle Vice now, and it was time to get things started. So after I had turned on the phone, I started messaging.

_Cloud, you there?_

His reply came a moment later. _Yeah, Tif. What's up?_

_I need your help._

_Name it,_ he responded.

I took a deep breath before sending Cloud another message. _We're going after the Vice gang. You and me._

 _Understood,_ he came back. _When do we go?_

_Tonight. After you take Jessie home. Don't tell her, okay? She'll insist on going with us if you do. And I don't want that._

He replied a second later. _Same here. Know where to find 'em?_

 _Yeah,_ I answered. _Got it covered. You want some overtime for this? I don't mind if you do, Cloud. It's okay._

_No, Tif. This is personal._

I smiled. _You really like her, don't you?_

_I just want to make sure she'll be safe before I head outta here. I take it you've got a plan?_

_I do, Cloud. I'll tell you tonight. You sure you won't stay?_

_Positive,_ he responded. _My mind's made up._

I sighed. _Alright. See you soon?_

_Yeah. We're on our way back now. Be there in a bit._

_Okay,_ I answered. _I'll go get lunch ready._

_Sounds good, Tif. Later._

With our conversation ended, I put my phone away and stood up. I thought about how Cloud had deflected my question about his feelings for Jessie and hadn't really answered it. I had seen his gaze wander over to her a lot lately when they were here, and hers had found him just as much. Although I harbored my own attraction for Cloud, it also made me happy to see Jessie had healed so much over the past two years that she could fall in love again. She'd never gotten the chance to answer the question Marlene had popped out at her.

But I had seen the truth in her eyes easily enough.

* * *

I slid onto a stool at the bar just as Tifa walked over with a plate of food for lunch and a drink. As I nodded my thanks and started eating, she smiled and moved away to take care of the others. Jessie was sitting at one of the tables with Wedge and a guy I didn't know. He wore green and had short black hair with a red headband just like hers.

They were all laughing and joking together, not that it mattered to me. I was about to turn back to the bar and leave them to it when Jessie leaned back in her chair, looked up, smiled, and beckoned to me with a wave and a sweep of her arm.

"Cloud, come join us!" she said. "It'll be fun!"

I shook my head. "Not interested."

"Thought you'd say that," she winked.

Then she picked up her plate and glass, walked over to the bar, and sat on the stool to my right. The guys blinked, stared at her a moment, exchanged an amused glance with each other, then shrugged and went back to their plates. Jessie chuckled, gazing fondly back at them, before turning her brown eyes on me. They were nice, I thought. Pretty, even. And I couldn't deny how much I liked them. Or how hard it still was to look away from their soft gaze.

I took a sip of my drink. "Not eating with your friends?"

"They'll live. I just thought you might like the company, no matter what you said. No one should have to eat alone."

"Guess you can stay," I said.

She grinned. "I feel honored! So anyway, I'm gonna get to work on getting those passcodes after lunch. Wanna come watch?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Might be interesting."

"Great! I've been looking forward to showing you what I can do on there. You'll be amazed!"

About half an hour later, Jessie and I pushed back our plates before standing up. Wedge was still eating, not that it surprised me. It was one of his favorite things to do, at least if it was Tifa's cooking. He would go on and on about it sometimes while we were out on patrol, listing all of his favorite dishes. It annoyed the hell out of me, and I couldn't wait to get the reactor mission over and done with so I wouldn't have to put up with it anymore. His cheerfulness was almost grating.

The other guy waved to Wedge, Tifa, and Jessie, then gave Marlene a quick hug before leaving, saying something about having to get home to see his sister. At another table, Tifa and Marlene were finishing their lunch. I didn't care where Barret was. He hadn't been here when Wedge and I had come back from the outskirts, so I'd gotten to avoid listening to more of his ranting. I hoped I wouldn't see very much of him before the mission, and even less afterward.

I followed Jessie downstairs, very much aware of how close we had to stand together on the lift as it descended to the basement. She wasn't more than a foot from me, and we shared a glance as we rode down. A little smile crossed Jessie's face in the dimness of the elevator shaft, and I realized she was enjoying this.

"Kinda cozy, huh?" she giggled.

"Yeah," I agreed. "How'd you guys come up with this thing?"

Jessie grinned as the lift stopped and she strode into the hideout. "I made it, actually. Thought it'd be more fun than just a normal elevator. Easier to hide, too. What do you think, Cloud?"

"It works," I shrugged, joining her.

"Well, of course it does, dummy!" she laughed, playfully driving an elbow into my side. "But do you like it?"

I supposed I did. "Yeah, Jessie. It's nice."

"Thanks!" she said, sitting comfortably at her desk.

Taking one of the chairs from the table, I had a seat next to her and just a little behind her, watching closely as she turned on her computer and got to work. I didn't know a whole lot about this stuff myself, but it was still interesting. Jessie practically flew through the system, so fast I could barely keep up, her fingers racing over the keyboard.

Then, only a moment later, the Shinra logo came up on the screen along with a few lines of text and a password prompt. Tapping on a few keys, Jessie simply bypassed the login entirely, and the screen faded for a minute or two before showing some kind of database full of lists and figures and other information.

"And we're in," she announced.

"Know what we're looking for?" I asked her.

Jessie raised an eyebrow. "Of course, Cloud. I know Shinra's system inside and out. There's a lot here, so it'll probably take a while to search through it all, but the passcodes for the reactor doors should be here. I don't know that they'll be together, though. Shinra might've kept them stored separately as an added security measure."

I leaned forward to get a better look. "Makes sense."

She was so close that my arm brushed against hers when I moved, and when it did, she chuckled nervously and smiled at me. I swallowed and gazed back at her, my skin still tingling with the contact, then I sat back. Jessie returned to her work, but my eyes stayed on her for a while instead of the screen, and for a moment I forgot all about finding those passcodes. I forgot about everything but her.

After a minute or two, I shook off my thoughts and pulled my gaze away from Jessie and back to the screen with an effort. It was harder to do than I wanted to admit. I watched as she scoured the mainframe for those codes, navigating from one list to another and one section of the system to another. But in the end, she found them. They were, as Jessie had suspected, in different places, and it took hours to find them both. But by the end of the afternoon, we had them.

"Looks like they're encrypted," Jessie noted, taking a look.

I saw it, too. "Can you decode them?"

She laughed. "Is mako green? You better believe I can! I'm only one of the best hackers in Midgar."

"Right," I said. "Stupid question."

"There _are_ no stupid questions, Cloud," Jessie assured me. "It's how we learn. Don't be afraid to ask me anything, okay?"

I nodded. "I'll remember that."

As soon as I said that, Jessie suddenly blinked, her mouth hanging open a little, and stared at me for a minute as if she were seeing me for the first time. What was going on with her? She caught herself quickly, though, and a moment later she was sitting calm and composed in her chair as if nothing had happened.

I looked at her. "Jessie? You alright?"

"Yeah, sorry," she apologized. "Just startled me, is all. You probably don't even know why."

"Not really," I agreed.

Jessie put her hands in her lap. "I just had a bit of deja vu, that's all. I know this is going to sound strange, Cloud, but… I feel like we've met before. Not since you came to the slums, but before that. Another time, another place. I don't know. I can't remember. But what you said, it felt like I'd heard you say it before, a long time ago. It was so familiar, but I can't figure out why. It probably sounds silly to you."

It didn't, though. I had never told her, but as I had spent more time with her, I hadn't been able to ignore the nagging feeling that I had met Jessie before, too, in a place other than the slums. But as hard as I tried, I couldn't remember. So I hadn't given it much thought and had simply put it in the back of my mind. But now, knowing that she felt the same way, I wondered if there was something to it after all.

I shook my head. "No, Jessie. It doesn't. I… I feel it, too."

"You do?" she gaped. "I thought it was just me…"

I was about to reply when a bolt of pain suddenly shot through my right temple. I grabbed my head, wincing in pain as my vision blurred around me and the world seemed to fade away. Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the attack was over, and the pain was gone. It was just like what had happened at Jessie's place the night we had met. Slowly, I let go of my head, realizing that Jessie was calling my name. She gazed at me in concern, her hand on my shoulder.

"Cloud? Are you alright?"

I shook off the cobwebs as my sight cleared. "I'm fine."

"Another one, huh?" she murmured. "I'm worried about you."

"I'll be okay. But anyway, yeah, It feels like I've run into you before somewhere. Other than the slums, that is. But I don't remember where, any more than you do. Sorry."

Jessie gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "No need to apologize. It makes me feel better, actually. Maybe we can figure it out together, you and I. Kinda feels like we were destined to meet, huh?"

"Maybe," I admitted.

She flashed me a smile, then went back to work. I wished I had the answers to that strange sense of familiarity I felt about her and that she felt about me, but I didn't. Maybe it was important. Or maybe it wasn't. I wasn't sure. But I wanted to know and remember if Jessie and I really had met before in another place and time like we both thought. And if we had, what had happened there between us.

With a sigh, I watched as Jessie went back to work.


	8. SEVEN

## SEVEN

I met Tifa behind the _Seventh_ _Heaven_ later that night, just like we'd planned. I'd already seen Jessie safely home earlier, not telling her what we were up to. I didn't want her coming with us tonight any more than Tifa did, especially after what she'd just gone through. That was the last time. I was going to see to it, one way or another.

"So what's the plan?" I asked.

Tifa tugged on her fingerless red leather fighting gloves. "The gang leader's name is Braddock. He's got a mohawk like the others, but it's a lot bigger and has purple in it along with the orange. We go to Sector 5, sneak inside the Vice gang's hideout, find this Braddock, and 'convince' him to leave Jessie alone."

I nodded. "Sounds good. How'd you find all this out?"

"You hear a lot things in a bar," Tifa smiled impishly. "I know what I have and what guys come here to see. And while they're drinking and ogling me, they don't always watch everything they're saying, especially if they've had a bit too much liquor. Loosens the tongue, you might say. Along with a little charm from me."

"You're devious," I smirked, my arms folded in front of me.

Tifa laughed. "Thank you!"

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised at her approach. In the time that I'd been here, I had seen well enough how popular a figure she was in the area and how men would come to the bar and all but drool over her and her near legendary bust. It was obvious Tifa knew how to take full advantage of that and often did.

I adjusted the bracer on my left arm. "Ready?"

"Ready," Tifa said. "Follow me!"

She jogged off toward the front of the bar, and I followed just a few yards behind her. We made our way through the dimly-lit streets of the Sector 7 slums with hardly a sound, flitting from one corner to another like a pair of shadows. There weren't very many people out at this hour, but those that were didn't pay much attention to us. We headed toward the outskirts on the edge of town and went on.

As we left Sector 7 behind and entered the winding, empty regions of scrap metal, junk, and dirt in between there, the pillar complex, and Sectors 8 and 6, I stayed wary and alert. Although there hadn't been as many monster attacks lately, they still lurked out here in the wilder, less populated areas and could come scuttling in at anytime.

We reached the pillar complex about twenty minutes later, and like other times I'd been out this way, the compound was locked up tight. I had never seen anyone go in there. The clearing in front of it was quiet, and we headed toward the southern end onto another scrap-lined dirt path. This one wound through dozens of mounds of metal and junk on its way toward Sectors 6 and 5.

When the path eventually split, we took the left fork onto the road that would lead us to Sector 5. We had been out traveling for almost an hour, but we didn't have much farther to go. A few groups of eaters got in our way, but Tifa and I made short work of them. My sword and her fists brought them down easily enough.

As we drew close to the large, huddled assortment of shacks, huts, and other makeshift buildings that was the Sector 5 slums, Tifa guided me off the main path and into the junk piles. We turned left, watching our step to avoid making any noise, and slipped through the maze for a bit until we came to a place where the metal and trash were piled much higher than normal. They were walls, I realized.

"This is the place," Tifa whispered.

The tall mountains of junk loomed in front of us, curving away on either side to form the outside of the Vice gang's lair. Again, Tifa and I went left, following the scrap wall on that side but slowing as we saw a few figures milling about ahead of us. They hadn't seen us yet, and we ducked behind a smaller heap of discarded trash to make sure it stayed that way. We stayed there for a minute, crouching down and waiting as the thugs walked by, laughing and sharing crude jokes with each other. Tifa grimaced at their lewd remarks but kept quiet.

When they'd gone, their voices fading into the distance, we moved on, slipping from one junk heap to another and keeping out of sight as we drew close to the main entrance. There was an opening in the scrap wall, and it led into a large courtyard. A pair of bored sentries stood on either side of the entry, knives slung from their belts.

As we crouched behind another trash pile, Tifa looked at me, then pointed first to the next bit of cover ahead of us just past the entry and then the sentry on that side. Then she pointed to herself before turning her gaze toward his partner. I got the message at once and nodded. She let her lip curl up in a slight grin as I snuck over to the scrap heap she'd indicated and got ready to put her plan into action.

Moving as soundlessly as cats, Tifa and I circled around until each of us was near our respective guard, keeping to the shadows as we went and our backs flat against the compound's outer wall. The men had no idea we were there as I quietly drew Buster and prepared to strike. And just a minute later, I did, slamming the butt end of the sword's hilt into the back of the goon's head while Tifa easily knocked the other one out with a single well-placed punch.

After dragging the unconscious thugs behind one of the junk piles, Tifa and I crept into the lair's entryway, sticking to the shadows on one side of the short, gloomy tunnel to stay well out of sight. Before long, it opened out into a large courtyard lined with sheds and small buildings along the inner wall. Lots of men moved around the area, drinking and sparring or just talking in small groups. A few rusted cars, their wheels gone and their paint faded and rusting, sat here and there amidst piles of scrap metal and junk. Stacks of wooden crates stood in between a lot of the buildings, and at the far end of the compound was a large shack. It was almost twice the size of the others, made of sheets of corrugated metal, iron beams, and faded plywood.

Tifa and I slipped behind one of the junk piles near the inner wall, watching all the activity around us as we planned our next move. It was a bit more organized here than I'd expected, but I figured we could still pull off what we'd come here for. Getting out looked to be a little more complicated than getting in had been, though.

"Cloud," Tifa whispered, taking my shoulder. "Braddock should be in that large shack. I'm guessing that's his base."

I'd been thinking the same thing. "Right. Let's get over there."

Staying behind cover as much as we could, we made our way along the lefthand side of the courtyard. About halfway there, Tifa and I were kneeling behind a set of metal barrels and waiting for another group of thugs to pass by when I glanced at the crates stored nearby in a narrow space between two long, low buildings.

"Tifa, look at this," I murmured, showing her what I'd seen.

She followed my gaze. "What…? But that's…"

On several of the crates was the Shinra logo. While I figured these men might've been capable of stealing from a few guards, lifting entire crates of items and supplies out of Shinra's grasp should've been a more difficult task. But here they were. Thugs like these normally preyed on travelers in the slums instead of hitting Shinra warehouses, which were often heavily guarded. It didn't make sense.

"I know," I replied. "These goods came from Shinra."

Tifa frowned. "But how? There's no way Vice could steal them."

"I'm not sure, Tif. But it's a good bet Braddock knows how they got here. We'll just have to get some answers out of him."

"Count on it," Tifa agreed.

We moved on when the coast was clear, darting to the next hiding place while the remaining thugs' backs were turned. We stayed close to the wall, ducking behind whatever bits of shelter we could find to keep from being seen—barrels, crates, piles of scrap and broken junk. There must've been at least fifty men inside the compound, maybe more. But they were scattered throughout the area and not paying nearly as much attention to their surroundings as they should have been.

The lighting here—what little there was—also worked in our favor. A few stolen streetlamps glowed dimly here and there near some of the buildings, but that was it aside from the lanterns hung from a couple of wooden posts stuck around the courtyard. There were a lot of shadows to help us remain unseen as we worked our way toward Braddock's lair, and after a few minutes, we got there undetected.

We knelt behind another stack of crates near the side of the shack. Some of the ones here had the Shinra logo on them, too. I looked at the door, but there were no guards. Just more piled junk and a few barrels. I could see out into the courtyard where dozens of men milled about in between all the scrap lying here and there, but none of them seemed to be looking our way at the moment. So far, so good.

"No guards?" I glanced at Tifa.

She shook her head. "He hates them. Lucky for us."

I pointed to the window nearby. "Let's take a look inside first. Then we'll figure out our next move."

Tifa nodded, and we crept over to the window. When we saw what was going on inside, though, we froze. A gasp escaped Tifa's lips as she gripped my shoulder. Braddock was there, but he wasn't alone. A small group of Shinra soldiers was with him. Three men, their blue uniforms and helmeted faces unmistakable. Two of them were leaning on dollies stacked with crates like the ones Tifa and I had seen earlier. Crates with the Shinra logo emblazoned on them.

"Shinra's _supplying_ these guys?" Tifa breathed.

I grimaced. "Sure looks that way."

She let go of me and leaned forward. "But why? Jessie never told us about this. She was here before, remember?"

"But they probably weren't," I pointed out. "Or the crates."

"That's true. It was the night you met her. If Shinra's been bringing supplies to Vice, then they've got to have some kind of set schedule for it. She must've come here in between deliveries."

That made sense. "There's no way she could have known."

"Yeah," Tifa agreed. "Jessie definitely would have said something if she'd seen anything like this."

"Right. Better wait for them to leave. Then we'll go in."

So we waited. It didn't take very long, and after the Shinra soldiers had left, wheeling the dollies just past our hiding spot and stacking the wooden crates in a nearby corner, they left. We watched as they walked across the junk-filled courtyard, and when they were gone, we glanced back at each other and shared a determined nod.

Drawing Buster, I followed Tifa to the door. She pulled it open and slipped inside, and I went after her. Braddock was there, his back to us as he bent over a makeshift desk covered with papers. His mohawk was bigger than any I'd seen on the other thugs, with streaks of purple in it just as Tifa had said. His sleeveless jacket was black instead of the usual blue, and he wore matching gloves on his muscled arms.

"Thought we was done here," he said without looking. "I've already paid ya, so don't come back 'till next month."

"I think you've mistaken us for someone else," Tifa hissed.

He whirled around. "What the hell? Who're you?"

"Doesn't matter," I narrowed my eyes. "But I'm gonna tell you what does. You've been attacking and threatening a friend of mine. But that's gonna stop right now. Back off."

"Or what?" he grunted.

I spun Buster in a tight circle. "You don't wanna know."

"That s'posed to scare me? You ain't gettin' outta here alive, boy. Or you, girl. I got fifty men that'll see to that."

Tifa swept her foot through the leg of the desk, shattering it with a single swift kick. "You really don't have a clue who you're dealing with, do you, Braddock? We've already beaten your goons twice. What's one more round? Especially for a SOLDIER."

"SOLDIER?" he gaped at me. "But I was told…"

"What? Spit it out, or we'll pound it out of you! What happened to the desk I could just as easily do to you."

Braddock stepped back. "I was told that Shinra wouldn't give us no trouble as long as we kept on doin' what we was doin' an' causin' havoc down here. So why'd they send SOLDIER? My men an' I ain't bothered no one from Shinra."

"They didn't," I answered.

"What? The hell's that supposed to–wait just a minute, I know who ya are now. You're the one that killed a bunch of my men. So that's why you're here. It's that little bitch that stole from me, ain't it?"

Tifa clenched her fists. "That's right. Now leave her alone."

"Not gonna happen," he sneered, backing away toward the far wall. "She's gonna pay up. I found out where she lives, so I sent a dozen men out to see her just before you showed up. Girl's not gonna get outta this one. And neither are you!"

As he shouted the last words, Braddock dove to the side, grabbed a spiked wooden bat from the corner, and charged at us. He swung high, aiming for Tifa's head, but she was already moving, ducking under the arc of his swing and hitting his ribs with a string of quick punches. He staggered backwards just in time to take a lightning bolt to the chest. I ran after him, lowering my left arm from where I'd had it up to cast the spell, and led with Buster. But in spite of his huge size, Braddock was a very fast opponent, and he blocked my swing with his spiked bat. I had to end this fast, but I couldn't seem to find an opening. I slashed again and again, left then right then left, but each time I tried, Buster clanged against the reinforced wood of Braddock's weapon.

Then Tifa was there, laying into him with a blinding series of kicks and punches that sent him reeling long enough for me to get a few cuts in across his arm and side. But he was tough and wouldn't go down so easily. Braddock yelled, furious now, and swung his bat first at me and then at Tifa, grazing her shoulder just as she tried to dodge. I struck at him again with the lightning, scorching him and filling the air with the smells of smoke and ozone as we fought.

He shouted for backup, and soon enough, Tifa and I could hear the pounding of running feet just outside. We were going to have company in a minute or two, and a lot of it. Braddock charged at Tifa, swinging his bat, but she stood her ground this time, her eyes blazing. Just as he reached her, she ducked, grabbed him with both hands, and threw him over top of her using his own momentum.

I turned around just in time to see Braddock go flying through the wide window above his desk, glass shattering everywhere as he fell into the courtyard. Not wasting a minute, I dove through the opening after him, Tifa right behind me just as the door burst open behind us. There were shouts of surprise and confusion, and ahead of us, Braddock had picked himself up and was ready.

He was cut in dozens of places from the glass and from the slashes I'd scored on him, but he wasn't down yet. He grabbed a length of iron chain from one of the junk piles, picked up one of the broken halves of his nail bat, and wrapped one end of the chain around it, tying it tight. Then he started swinging it in a circle above his head, the sharp spikes whirling through the air in a deadly arc.

While Tifa fended off the handful of men that were closest to us, I closed in on Braddock. I ducked as he whipped the chain at me, then I slashed low toward his stomach. He recovered faster than I thought he would, hopping backward just in time. Meanwhile, Tifa took down two of her attackers with a wide roundhouse kick, then smashed another of the thugs with a brutal uppercut that sent him skyward. He crashed to the ground and didn't get up.

Braddock swung the long chain again, vertically this time. It drove the spikes into the ground only a few inches from my feet. I ran at him as he yanked it back with a flick of his wrist and snapped it at me again from the other side. He missed, though, as I spun to the left and sliced at him. I caught him on the thigh as he tried to get away, tracing a thin line of blood down the side of his right leg. Then Tifa swept Braddock's feet out from under him, and he fell on his back.

He was back up in an instant, though. A swarm of his thugs forced me away, and I had to waste a few precious seconds dealing with them. A few cuts and slashes punctuated by a bolt of lightning or two did the job, but I'd had to leave Tifa to face Braddock alone to do it. She didn't falter, driving him back with blow after blow as I rejoined her. He kept swinging his chain, but she dodged it each time, as nimble as a cat. We pressed him, knowing an opening would come sooner or later. I threw more lightning at him while Tifa pummeled him and evaded the chain, her reflexes honed to a razor's edge.

Then, just a few moments later, we had him.

The three of us had gotten turned around during the battle, and he was still swinging away. But Tifa and I had moved so the junk pile was behind us, and when we dodged again–Tifa diving left while I dropped to the right–the chain slammed into the debris behind where we'd been standing. Braddock snapped his wrist to get it back, but this time it was stuck. The spikes had gotten embedded on a heavy wooden beam lying amidst the scrap and junk. Braddock pulled, grunting and growling as he did, but the chain wouldn't budge. I didn't even need to look at Tifa to know she'd seen it, too. This was our chance.

Backhanding a thug in the face as he tried to sneak up on her, Tifa raced toward Braddock even as I brought Buster down on the chain. It cut right through the iron links, severing them instantly. He'd pulled it so taut trying to get it unstuck that when I cut it, he fell backwards and landed in the dirt just in time to get Tifa's fist in his face in the form of a leaping right hook. Then she rolled aside as Braddock got up. He was enraged, his nose a bloody mess as he ran right at me.

He tried to grab Buster from me, and for a moment, we struggled. But then, I wrenched it free and shoved him into the junk pile. He lost his balance and tumbled into the debris with a loud clattering of metal and wood. Then suddenly, Braddock's eyes widened and he went rigid as I heard the sound of meat being torn off a bone. A moment later, he let out a last, ragged breath and lay still.

For a moment, no one moved. The rest of the Vice goons all stared at Braddock, not quite grasping yet that he was dead. When he'd fallen onto the pile of junk, he had landed right on the long spikes of his own broken bat and had unwittingly impaled himself on his own weapon. It was poetic justice, I suppose, considering what one of those things had done to Jessie. At the thought of her, I remembered the group of thugs Braddock had dispatched to finish her off.

"Tifa!" I said. "Time to go. Now!"

She nodded. "Right! We have to catch those men before they reach Jessie. I haven't forgotten."

We sprinted across the courtyard to the entrance to the lair, cutting and beating any goons who got in our way. Most of them seemed more intent on fighting each other than us now, doubtless arguing over who was going to take over leadership of the gang. But none of them looked to be as imposing or threatening as Braddock had been. Tifa and I had struck a blow against Vice tonight, a big one, and I knew they wouldn't be in any shape to act against anyone for awhile, least of all Jessie. I was worried about her and pushed myself to move faster as Tifa and I sped out of the compound and into the Sector 5 slums.

We never slowed down for a moment, running side by side back to Sector 7, neither of of us saying a word. We didn't need to. Tifa knew as much as I did what was at stake. There was no way Jessie could survive an attack from twelve armed men. Not all by herself. The piles of scrap and debris flew past us as we ran, racing down the dirt path and trying to go faster and faster with every step.

The goons were in the outskirts in between the pillar complex and Sector 7 itself when we found them. We didn't even slow down but just charged right at them, fists and steel tearing into them in seconds. The men fought, but we dropped half of them in the first assault, and by the time they finally got organized, two more had run away toward Sector 5. That left only four, and they crumpled under the weight of my sword and Tifa's devastating punches and kicks.

When it was over, we hurried down the road into Sector 7 to check on Jessie. We didn't run this time, but we did keep up a brisk pace. And soon enough, we saw her little house ahead of us. I slowed to a walk as Tifa did the same, and when we got to her door, she knocked on it and shared an anxious glance with me.

Jessie opened the door a moment later, her hair falling around her shoulders. "Tifa? Cloud? Everything alright?"

"Jessie!" Tifa hugged her tight.

"Nice to see you, too," Jessie laughed, letting go.

Tifa chuckled. "Sorry to wake you. Cloud and I thought you might be in trouble, that's all."

"Thanks, guys. It's been a quiet night, though."

"Glad to hear it," I said.

Then Jessie noticed Tifa's shoulder where Braddock had scraped it. "What happened, Tifa? You're hurt!"

"It's a long story…" she answered. "Cloud can fill you in."

"Me?" I blinked.

Tifa smiled. "I should go check on Marlene. And I've got to get this patched up anyway. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Before I could answer, she waved to Jessie, then turned and headed down the road toward the _Seventh_ _Heaven._ When she had left, I took a closer look at Jessie, glad that she was alright and that we'd gotten back in time. She stood there in her doorway, wearing a pair of black pajama bottoms and a dark blue T-shirt. Her feet were bare, and in each of her ears sparkled a small, studded earring. She wore them all the time, but I'd never really noticed them until now. And I found that I liked them, liked how nice they looked on her.

"Guess you guys had quite an evening, huh?" she said.

I shrugged. "You could say that."

Jessie beckoned to me. "Well, come on inside and tell me about it. I really want to know."

So I followed her into the house, closing the door behind me. I saw her bed was unmade, the blankets and sheets pulled back. So she really had been asleep. Her slightly unkempt hair showed that as well. I knew, though, that if Tifa and I hadn't gotten back when we did, Jessie would never have woken up at all. Suffice it to say, I was really glad to see her, although I wasn't quite sure how to say it.

Jessie motioned to the little table. "Have a seat."

"Didn't mean to startle you," I said as I sat down. "But, as Tifa said, we thought you might need us."

"Don't sweat it. It's always good to see you, Cloud."

I nodded. "It's good to be seen."

Her answering grin was warm and wide as she plopped down onto her bed. "Oh, the feeling's _definitely_ mutual."

"Really?" I blinked.

"Yeah. But anyway, where'd you guys go tonight? When I heard the door, I was afraid it might've been Vice again."

I raised an eyebrow. "They wouldn't bother knocking."

Jessie laughed. "Yeah, I guess that's true. I'm a little afraid they'll be coming after me again. Not that I won't fight if I have to. I can do that. I'm just tired of them bothering me."

"You don't have to worry about that anymore," I told her.

She stared at me. "What…?"

I took a breath. "Tifa and I… we went after them tonight. Had us a little chat with the leader, a guy named Braddock."

"I remember him," Jessie shuddered. "Ugly and vicious."

"And dead. He didn't like being told to leave you alone. So Tifa and I had to fight him. And his friends. Didn't work out very well for them, though. But he'd already found out where you live, Jessie, and had sent a dozen men to kill you. So we ran all the way back here from Sector 5 to catch them. And we did, just in time."

Jessie gazed at me, her brown eyes wide. "So that's why you looked so worried. Oh, Cloud… why didn't you tell me?"

"You'd have wanted to come along," I explained.

"Damn right I would've!" she chuckled. "But I understand why you didn't want me to. It's very sweet."

I shrugged. "I just… had to keep you safe."

Jessie glanced down for a minute, then looked up back up at me, a small, wondering smile on her face. Her eyes stayed on mine as she got to her feet and walked over to me in a few slow, measured steps. Then, before I knew it, she just dropped herself into my lap, draping her arms around my neck and laying her head on my shoulder.

"Thank you. For what you did for me."

I swallowed, hesitantly sliding my arms around her waist. "I… I'm supposed to be your hero, right?"

She gazed up at me. "You _are_ my hero, Cloud."

"Well, then… you're welcome."

"You know," Jessie said, holding onto me, "you're gonna have to let _me_ save _you_ someday or we'll never be even."

I shook my head. "Let's hope you won't have to."

She giggled. "Oh, come on! Even you need help sometimes."

"Guess I know who to call, then," I said.

"Ha! You'd better believe it! I'll be there for you, Cloud. Anytime. A girl's gotta take care of her hero, after all."

I didn't mind her having my back like that, and I found it was nice to know she'd be there if I ever did need her. Hopefully it wouldn't ever be necessary, though. I didn't want her to put herself at risk to help me. She'd been in enough danger already, and the mission against Reactor 1 wasn't gonna be much safer. There was no avoiding that one, so I'd just have to make sure she got through it unharmed.

It felt good, having Jessie so close, but it was also a bit bewildering, and I wasn't sure what to make of it. As I held her, though, I wondered for the first time if maybe it might not be a bad idea to stick around for a while after we'd finished the reactor mission. But I wasn't going to tell her and get her hopes up. I was still leaning toward leaving, and I didn't want to make her think I was gonna stay when I wasn't planning on it. So I kept my doubts to myself.

I looked at her. "Ready to get up?"

"Just a little longer…" she snuggled closer. "If it's okay."

"It's fine," I said.

Jessie smiled. "Thanks, Cloud. You know, I could _really_ get used to this. You're pretty good at it, actually."

"Uh, I am?" I blinked.

"Yep! No safer place for me to be than right here in the loving arms of the gorgeous merc that kicked Vice's ass for me."

Feathers filled my stomach. "I… just did what I wanted to do."

"I know," she whispered. "And it makes me happy. I haven't felt this way in a long time."

"What way?" I wondered.

She shook her head. "It's… a little complicated, sorry. I'm not ready to talk about it just yet."

I didn't mind. "Take your time."

"I appreciate it, Cloud," she patted my shoulder as she let go of me with a sigh and stood up. "I promise I'll tell you sooner or later. A nice, long talk. Just you and me. Okay?"

"Yeah," I agreed, getting to my feet.

She walked me to the door. "But anyway, I was thinking tomorrow we could go over to Sector 4 to do some scavenging and put together a new cart. If you're up for it, that is."

I nodded. "Sure. And the Hardy?"

"Of course!" she laughed. "We'll work on that, too. So go get some sleep, mister. We've got a busy day ahead of us."

She waved to me as I went outside, and I lifted a hand in return. It was a few moments before either of us could look away, and part of me didn't want to. But then eventually I did, heading down the road to the _Seventh_ _Heaven_ as Jessie went back into her house.

Although I was more than a little relieved she was finally safe from Vice, I couldn't help thinking about what was still to come. Shinra was a lot more dangerous than the Vice gang, and attacking the reactor was bound to get their attention. I didn't like that thought at all, but I knew it was pointless to try and talk Jessie out of it. She was as determined as the others to go through with it. So I sighed in resignation and decided that the best thing I could do for her now was to keep her out of harm's way when we went on the mission.

Shinra wasn't gonna touch her as long as I was around.


	9. EIGHT

## EIGHT

"Hand me that socket wrench, Cloud," Jessie reached out her hand. "Let's see if we can't get this carburetor in place."

We were in the little garage behind her shop the next day, working on the motorcycle. I'd spent the morning clearing out more eaters with Wedge before going to the scrapyards in Sector 4 with Jessie to look for parts. We'd found a few, enough for her to build a new cart and make a little progress on the bike. The cart was finished now, and Jessie was set to start going back on her trips tomorrow. So with that done, she and I had decided to spend a little time on the Hardy.

I took the wrench from Jessie's toolbox and handed it to her. "This the right one?"

"Yep!" she grinned as she took it. "Thanks!"

I nodded and watched as she took the carburetor and fitted into its spot near the engine. We were sitting on the floor next to the bike, and I had leaned Buster against the wall to keep it out of the way. Jessie had taken off her armored vest, chain shirt, and gloves earlier like she often did when we were working here. She wore just her blue leotard top, her olive cargo pants, and her boots, although she still had her hair in that high ponytail she liked. And her red headband was still firmly in place. Jessie almost never went anywhere without it. I'd taken my own gloves off as well before we got started.

Her arms were slim, slender, and nice to look at despite the grease streaked across her skin. Jessie was definitely a girl who wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. Not that mine were much better off. I'd been doing my share of work here with her, and my fingers and arms were as black as hers. But I didn't mind. As she held the carburetor in place, she tried to tighten the bolts with the wrench, but the whole thing slipped when she moved and she had to put it back again.

Jessie looked over at me. "Mind helping a girl out?"

"That's why I'm here," I smirked.

"Ha! I knew there was a reason I asked you do this with me. You're really pretty handy, you know that?"

I held the carburetor in place for her. "You think so?"

Jessie laughed as she tightened the bolts. "Yeah. Maybe that's why I like you so much. You get things done."

"So I'm your gopher, then?" I raised an eyebrow.

Her laughter was so loud she nearly doubled over. "Maybe you are, Cloud! The best-looking gopher around!"

"I'll try not to take that personally," I said.

"Good!" Jessie giggled, scooting back a bit as she finished securing the carburetor. "Guess I should make you a list!"

I let go of the bike. "Now that's pushing it, Jessie."

"Oh, really?" she winked.

Reaching for the engine, she slid her fingers along it until she had a good bit of grease on them, then turned to me with an impish grin and smeared it right on my nose before I even realized what she was doing. Her brown eyes twinkled mischievously in the garage lights as she held up one black, grease-stained finger in front of me. "So, Cloud, what do you think of _that?"_

"This," I answered.

I felt around the engine until my hand was covered in grease, then leaned in and planted it right on Jessie's face. Her startled cry was very satisfying, but she recovered faster than I'd anticipated, bringing up her arms and slapping both of her dirty hands onto my cheeks. Letting the corner of my lip curl upward slightly, I took her shoulders and streaked the grease all along her bare arms. Then, before I knew it, Jessie was on me, laughing and putting her greasy hands all over every bit of skin she could reach. I did the same to her, covering her with grease wherever I could as we rolled onto the floor, though I didn't share in her laughter. Just a faint, smug little grin here and there.

We grappled with each other for a bit, just lost in the moment and in one another, until Jessie managed to get on top me. I was flat on my back, and while I could've easily flipped her over and pinned her under me, I'd wanted to give her a fair chance and not make things too simple for me. She loomed over me, as covered in grease as I was, a wry smile on her face as she slid her fingers into my hair.

"Looks like I win," she teased. "It'll probably take you a while to get this stuff outta those pretty blond spikes of yours."

"You think so?" I asked.

I took hold of her hair tie in one quick motion, unfastened it, then slipped my own dirty hands into her hair. As I started to spread out the long, auburn strands and send them tumbling down over my fingers to brush lightly against my wrists, I froze, my eyes locked on hers. I could hardly breathe, suddenly very much aware of her, of what I was doing, and of how good she felt against me.

Jessie stopped at almost the same time, panting for breath, her eyes wide as she gazed back at me. Time stopped, and for a moment neither of us could move. I wasn't sure I wanted to. My skin tingled, the feeling almost electric as I looked at her, acutely conscious of every part of her body that was touching mine. And I was certain her heart was beating every bit as fast as my own.

"You guys havin' fun?" a voice quipped.

Jessie gasped as if she'd had water suddenly thrown in her face, and she leaped off me so fast she fell against the side of the bike and banged the back of her head on it. I glanced at her, then at the newcomer who'd interrupted us. It was the black-haired guy in green. He was leaning by the back wall of the shop, his arms folded in front of him as he smirked at us. Annoying as hell, and he surely knew it.

Jessie rubbed her head. "Ow! Damn, that hurts!"

"You okay?" I asked, getting up.

"Yeah, thanks," she nodded, then glared at the new guy. "And as for you, jerk-face, I oughta strangle you right now!"

He chuckled. "Good to see you too, Jessie. Did I miss much?"

"We were just working on the bike," she replied, standing up. "And that's all you need to know."

"You sure?" the guy grinned. "Didn't look like it to me."

Jessie's cheeks—what I could see of them under the grease—turned bright red. "We… we were just, um… checking the engine. It, uh… got a little messy, that's all."

He shrugged. "If you say so."

"We do," I told him.

"Right!" Jessie agreed. "So what are you doing here, Biggs?"

The guy straightened as he answered. "Just came by to tell you that Lena's up at the bar. Brought her with me today to see everybody. And Barret wants to have another meeting. I wanted to check on you again, too. You had a rough time the other day, you know."

"Thanks," Jessie said. "I'm fine. And tell the others I'll be there in a little while, okay? After I get cleaned up."

"Sure thing," he lifted his hand in a mock salute. "Later!"

Then he walked away. After he had disappeared around the corner, Jessie turned to me and let out a long, shaky breath. "Looks like we got a little carried away there, didn't we?"

"Maybe," I admitted. "Does it matter?"

Jessie smacked my arm and smiled. "Nope! It was fun! Of course, if Biggs goes and blabs about it to the others, I swear I'll kick his scrawny little ass from here to Junon."

"Want me to help?" I offered.

"We'll see," she stepped a little closer. "I'll keep it mind."

There was a small sink in the back of the garage, and we went over there to start washing up, at least our hands and faces. As we did, water flowing from the faucet in a steady stream, Jessie shot me a playful grin and splashed a handful of water at me. I dodged most of it, bending to the side a little, and quickly returned the favor before she could get out of the way. She gasped and laughed, water dripping from her face, then got me with another well-aimed cupful of water from her hands before I knew it. So it went for several minutes, back and forth until Jessie and I were both all but soaked from the waist up.

She leaned against me, panting heavily. "Hey, how come I'm all out of breath and you haven't even broken a sweat?"

"Trade secret," I told her.

"Oh, I bet it is," she smirked. "Let me in on it sometime, will ya?"

I nodded. "Maybe later."

She patted my damp shirt for a moment, then turned the water off. "Well, how about we go back to my place and get a shower? That is, I'll go first, then you. Separately, I mean. One at a time. We can take turns, you know? How's that sound?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "Sounds good."

After putting the tools away and locking up the garage, we headed down the road to Jessie's house. Once we were inside, she pulled off her boots, set them neatly by the door, and ducked right into her bathroom while I sat at the table to wait. Jessie drew the blanket door shut with a little wink, and just moments later, I heard the sound of running water as she undressed and washed herself off.

After about twenty minutes, the faucet stopped, and a few seconds later, Jessie peeked out from behind the blanket door, holding it closely against her as she stood there, her wet, tousled hair dripping down the bare shoulder and arm that was all I could see of her. She flashed me a small, sheepish grin and laughed.

"I can't believe I forgot to bring a towel with me! There's one in the bottom drawer of my dresser, Cloud. Would you bring it over? I'd get it myself, but, well… that'd be kinda embarrassing."

"Y-Yeah…" I stammered. "Just a second."

I got up and did as she'd asked, finding a set of neatly folded white towels and taking a pair of them out. I set the first one atop the dresser, then walked over to Jessie and handed her the second. She took it with a grateful smile, slipping back into the bathroom for a minute. I waited for her there by the doorway, and it was only a few moments later that she pushed the blanket aside and walked back into the main room. She was wrapped in the towel, brushing her hair and humming contentedly to herself. I watched her, my heart pounding.

"All yours," Jessie told me.

"What?" I blinked.

She giggled. "The shower, dummy! Go get washed up!"

"Oh, right," I said. What was I thinking?

"Enjoying the view?" she winked.

I paused in the act of moving the blanket. "I, uh…"

Jessie walked right up to me, stopping less than a foot away. "I like it, Cloud. The attention you give me, I mean. It's been a while since I've been seen as a girl and not just another one of the guys."

"But you _are_ a girl," I said, a little confused.

"Nice of you to notice," Jessie chuckled.

With her modest curves pressing up against the fabric of her towel right there in front of me, it was very hard not to. "Kinda hard to miss. But what did you mean, one of the guys? I don't get it."

"It's the whole tomboy thing," she explained. "I'm not really a girly girl, so most guys just give me a once over and that's it. I've gotten used to it by now, though. It's no big deal."

"Their loss," I told her.

Jessie hugged me. "Oh, you always know just what to say!"

"I do?" I wondered.

"More than you think," she replied, letting go. "Now go on and get yourself cleaned up while I get dressed."

I did, grabbing the other towel from the dresser and taking a quick shower. When I came back out to the main room about fifteen minutes later, dressed and running a hand through my hair to get the last of the water out, Jessie was sitting on the bed and reaching for her boots. She had put on clean clothes—a black, short-sleeved shirt with a high neck and a pair of dark gray cargo pants. She had left her hair down, and her headband was tied around her left wrist now.

"Well, you look almost presentable," she grinned when she saw me. "I think I can be seen with ya."

"Glad you approve," I smirked. "Going for a different look?"

She held up her arm. "Headband's still damp, so I'll just wear it on here for now. Besides, it's nice to let my hair down sometimes. Used to have it like this all the time when I was younger."

I sat down next to her. "Really?"

"Yeah. Until I was nineteen. Then I cut it short for a while."

"How short?" I wondered.

Jessie moved her hand until it was just above her shoulder. "About like that. Took some getting used to, believe me."

As hard as I tried, I couldn't imagine her looking that way. "So you wanted something different?"

"No. It wasn't entirely my idea. But it had to be done."

"I don't understand," I said.

She smiled and put her hands on her knees. "It's alright. My past… it's kind of a long story. But I _would_ like to tell you someday. When I'm ready. Just… be patient with me, okay?"

"Sure," I nodded.

"I appreciate it. So anyway, since we're talking about my hair, what do you think? Do you like it this way?"

I did. "Yeah. Looks nice."

Jessie beamed happily. "Thanks, Cloud. I bet the others don't know what a softie you are."

"What?" I stared at her.

"Relax! I'm just teasing you," she said, smacking my shoulder. "But anyway, we should probably get going."

She was right, but I didn't get up yet. Instead, my eyes drifted down to her hands, which were resting on her knees again. She hadn't put her gloves on yet, and I doubted she would until she had cleaned them off. Mine were on the table where I'd left them earlier.

Swallowing, I reached over and gently put my hand over hers. Just to help her up, of course. My skin tingled at the contact, sparking like a live wire when our fingers slid together. Jessie gazed warmly at me as I took her other hand and guided her to her feet. We just stood there for a moment, not in any rush as we looked at each other.

Then I broke the contact, releasing Jessie's hands as I glanced down at the floor for a second or two and then back at her. "Well, uh… better mosey, I guess. You ready?"

"Yeah," she answered, her eyes shining. "Let's go."

* * *

The bar was as busy as ever tonight, but I still managed to slip over to the table where Lena and Marlene were sitting and chatting. I hadn't seen Wedge yet, but I knew he'd be here soon enough. And as I looked up, I saw Biggs striding in through the doors wearing a faintly amused grin on his face. He walked right over to the table where the three of us were and settled back into his chair.

I raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny, Biggs?"

"It's nothin', Tifa," he laughed. "But Jessie'd skin me alive if I told ya. And I wanna live to see tomorrow."

"I'll bet. Sounds like it was pretty amusing," I grinned.

He nodded. "Damn straight it was! But anyway, how 'bout a drink? Walkin' makes me thirsty."

I patted him on the shoulder. "Sure thing. Be right back!"

While I was busy behind the bar, Wedge showed up, waving at me as he entered the bar. I smiled and waved back as I mixed the drink for Biggs. Wedge went over to join him, Lena, and Marlene, and at first he was going to sit at one end of the table. But then Biggs got up and took that seat himself, winking at Wedge, who looked utterly confused as he sat in the chair Biggs had been in, the one across from Lena.

Wedge was a deep red when I returned to the table, his eyes on his hands or on Biggs or Marlene. Anywhere but the girl in front of him. I thought it was cute, that crush he had on her. There was plenty of food already on the table, but for once Wedge didn't touch it. He had always been shy with girls for as long as I'd known him. It was very endearing, I thought. And sweet. I just hoped he'd find the nerve to say more than a few words to Lena and see where things went.

She really was a nice girl. I had seen her earlier when she and Biggs had first arrived. Short, light brown hair that hung just below her ears, wide hazel eyes, and a mischievous smirk just like her brother's. I think Lena was about a year younger than me, and she was having fun joking around with Biggs and talking with Marlene. But her gaze always went back to Wedge. Maybe she liked him, too.

It was about fifteen minutes later that Cloud and Jessie arrived. His shirt had a few spots of grease on it, and I remembered then that they'd been working on that motorcycle of hers. They were clean otherwise as they came and sat with us. Well, Jessie did, anyway. Cloud just nodded to her and went to the bar, sitting by himself like always.

I wasn't a bit surprised, and I went over to see him while the others were busy hanging out together at the table. "Hey, Cloud, come join us. We'd love to have you."

"I'm fine, Tif," he said.

"You sure?" I asked. "You don't have to be alone."

He brushed me off. "Yeah. You know I'm not the sociable type."

I chuckled. "Sure do. But you know, it wouldn't hurt to spend some time with them, Cloud. They just want to be your friends."

"Didn't come here looking for friends," he sighed, folding his arms in front of him. "I'm here for the money."

"Then why do you spend so much time with Jessie?"

He blinked. "I…"

Cloud's startled expression was priceless and extremely telling, and I walked away to let him chew on what I'd said for a bit. I hadn't missed the fact that he and Jessie had grown closer over the past two weeks. Of course, he _had_ been helping her out with her work, but that was only a part of what they had been doing together. Whenever Cloud wasn't out fighting eaters with Wedge or taking on the occasional odd job around town, he was almost always with Jessie.

I was surprised she hadn't tried to move things along with him yet. She was definitely into him—I'd seen it so clearly in her eyes yesterday in the basement but I wasn't sure what she was waiting for. She knew he was planning on leaving after the mission, so maybe she was trying to keep herself from getting too attached, though from what I'd seen so far, she didn't seem to be having much success. It was going to be hard on her if he left, and on me as well. I hadn't figured out yet how I could convince him to stay, but I was determined to do it. For both Jessie and me. I just couldn't let him go without finding out what was wrong with him and why he was so different than I remembered.

In the meantime, I shook off my thoughts, took care of a few of my customers, and stopped by to see my friends whenever I could. And so it went for the next half hour or so as I went around waiting tables and mixing drinks. Cloud didn't budge an inch, but I hadn't really expected him to. He could be like a statue sometimes.

The doors swung open again after a while, and Barret stomped in, motioning to the others. It was time for the meeting. As Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie got up and went to the secret lift by the kitchen, Barret and I ushered the customers out, ignoring their grumbling and complaining.

Cloud stayed where he was until Jessie got his attention, waving at him and urging him to go downstairs with her and the guys. So by the time Barret and I were finished, Jessie and Cloud were already riding the lift downstairs together after Biggs and Wedge had gone ahead of them. As I waited for it to come back up, I smiled at Lena, who had stayed at the table to wait for us.

"We won't be long," I assured her.

She leaned back in her chair and nodded. "Right. I'll just wait here, Tifa. Tell Wedge I said hi, okay?"

"Absolutely!" I smiled as I stepped onto the lift.

Barret engulfed Marlene in his arms as she ran to him. "You wanna go downstairs or stay here an' keep Lena company?"

"Lena!" Marlene chirped. "I like her!"

"Awright, girl. Go have fun, now. Daddy'll be back soon. You mind her an' be good for me."

She scampered away as Barret and I rode downstairs, and a minute or two later, we emerged into the basement to see everyone gathered at the table except Cloud. He was leaning against the wall, apart from the others. Typical. I sat down next to Jessie, with the guys across from us, and waited for Barret to begin.

"I like what you did with your hair," I whispered to Jessie.

She tossed it playfully around her shoulders. "Thanks! Got cleaned up before coming here, so I thought I'd keep it down for a while. Cloud did too, you know. After me, I mean."

"I thought his hair looked a little damp," I nodded.

"Yeah," Jessie said. Then she leaned in so only I could hear her and giggled. "Hey, Tifa. Next time you walk up to him, sniff the air around him and say, 'Is that lilacs?'"

I grinned. "Oh, definitely! Your shampoo?"

"Yep! He didn't have much choice. For such a tough mercenary, he sure smells all nice and flowery!"

We laughed together while Biggs and Wedge exchanged a confused glance across from us. They hadn't heard our little chat since we'd been keeping our voices low, and it had probably just come across as a series of whispers to them. Jessie and I kept laughing as they stared blankly at us, and it wasn't until Barret scowled at us from where he was standing at the end of the table that we finally composed ourselves.

"You ladies finished?" he growled.

"Sorry," Jessie and I said at the same time.

Sighing, Barret began. "Awright, people. Let's get to work. We got a mako reactor to hit."

Biggs scratched his chin. "When, boss?"

"Soon enough," Barret answered. "I'm thinkin 'bout a month or so. Maybe six weeks. Still got some preppin' to do first."

"What do we need to do?"

Jessie went next. "I've got the passcodes for the doors on the upper level, but I still need to decrypt them before they'll be of any use to us. Shouldn't be too hard, though. But it'll take time."

"You get on that," Barret said. "What about the bomb?"

"I know a guy in Sector 3 I can buy the C4 from. It won't be cheap, but he doesn't ask any questions, either."

Barret grunted. "Good. Take Cloud with ya when you go."

"I will," Jessie agreed. "My contact isn't likely to cause trouble, but I can't say the same for his associates. I don't think they'll do anything if Cloud's there, though. He can be pretty imposing."

"Me? Imposing?" Cloud looked up.

She smiled at him. "Yeah, when you wanna be. It is _so_ hot."

"Enough of that," Barret grumbled. "Biggs, Wedge while Jessie an' Cloud are doin' that, you two are gonna slip on up to the plate an' take a look outside the reactor. Do some recon an' see what the guard patrol routes are like an' what else they got outside."

"Will do, boss!" Biggs pumped his fist. Wedge added a thumbs up, grinning all the while.

Barret went on. "We need the reactor layouts, too."

"I can get them," Jessie assured us. "Shinra's got them stored on the network, probably locked down somewhere on the central mainframe, but I know that system inside and out. I'll find those blueprints, Barret. You can count on that."

"Good. We gotta have 'em to plan our attack."

"Anything else?" I asked.

Barret shook his head. "That's 'bout it for now, Tifa. Let's go ahead an' call it a night."

With the meeting over, we all stood up. As we were taking turns on the lift, I bent close to Wedge and gave him Lena's message. He blushed and thanked me before heading upstairs with Biggs. After the rest of us had gone back to the main floor, I went over to see Marlene while Lena and Biggs got ready to leave. Marlene had been coloring, drawing with her crayons at the table.

She held up her picture. "Look, Tifa! I drew all of us!"

"It looks great, sweetie," I hugged her.

Lena ruffled her hair as she stood up. "She's a real sweetheart, Tifa. I'm glad I got to watch her for you."

I gazed fondly at Marlene. "She sure is. Come back soon, okay?"

"I will, don't worry. I had a really good time tonight. And it was so good to see you again."

"You too, Lena," I smiled.

Then she and Biggs were heading for the doors. But halfway there, he turned to Wedge, a sly grin on his face. "Hey, Wedge. Do me a favor, will ya? Go on ahead with Lena. I forgot something downstairs, so just take her home for me. Catch ya later, alright?"

"M-Me?" Wedge's eyes went wide.

"Yeah, you!" Biggs went over and slapped him on the back. "You'll be fine. So get to it, buddy!"

Wedge swallowed. "Okay, Biggs. Sure!"

"Have fun!" I winked.

"We will," he managed a shaky smile, then glanced at Lena. "A-Are you, um… are you ready?"

She moved over to join him. "Whenever you are, Wedge."

Holding one of the doors open for her, he nodded. "Then, um, let's go, Lena. I-It's a long walk to Sector 5."

After they left, I smirked at Biggs. "Very smooth."

"Thanks," he chuckled, sitting down at the table and pulling a pack of cards from his pocket. Of course, he hadn't _really_ forgotten anything. "Been tryin' to get them together for months."

"Really?" I said, joining him.

He shuffled the cards and winked. "Yep! They've known each other for years. But you know how Wedge is. He gets so nervous around her that he can barely talk, let alone make a move. She'd go out with him if he asked, though. In a heartbeat."

"Well, I hope he does," I replied.

"Same here. I think he just needs a little push, is all."

I glanced over at Cloud and Jessie, who were sitting together at the bar, and nodded. "I know what you mean."

When Wedge came back an hour later, he was grinning from ear to ear, and I knew something good had happened while he was out there. He went right to Biggs, who'd been sitting at the table playing cards the whole time. Marlene was in bed now—Barret and I had just come back downstairs from putting her there—and Jessie had convinced Cloud to try out the dartboard with her. He seemed to be winning, but she loved to compete and wasn't too far behind him.

She wasn't above distracting him with her wit and charm, either. A soft breath in his ear at the right moment, and his throw went wild, his dart flying way off course to hit the wall nearly a foot to the right of the board. Jessie smirked as she got ready to take her next turn, but Cloud didn't hesitate to turn the tables on her. When she lined up to throw, he laid a hand lightly against the back of her neck, almost caressing it, and her mouth simply dropped open in a small, soundless gasp as her dart flew into the wall just below the outer ring.

We all looked at Wedge as he stopped and caught his breath. "Man, you guys are never gonna believe this!"

"Spit it out, will ya?" Biggs teased as he stood up.

Jessie smiled as she came over to join us. "Yeah, Wedge! Don't keep us in suspense! How'd it go with Lena?"

His cheeks turned as red as his bandana. "I… I have a date!"

I smiled. "That's great, Wedge!"

"Figured you'd finally do it!" Biggs took his shoulder. "So come on, buddy! Tell us all about it!"

He nodded. "Well, uh… first we stopped by the watch base to pick up my rifle. You all know how the roads get at night. I didn't want to be caught empty-handed if anything happened to show up while we were out there. Then we headed toward Sector 5."

"Go on," Jessie urged him. "What happened next?"

"About halfway there, a few eaters crawled out onto the road. Only three or four, but they're so fast, you know? Anyway, I got one of them, but another one was closing in on me before I knew it. Lena ran in and kicked it away just before it could hit me. She's actually really good in a fight, Biggs! So anyway, we managed to finish off the rest of the eaters. And when it was all over and I started asking her if she was alright, I… I realized I wasn't nervous anymore."

Biggs laughed. "Shared danger. Does it every time!"

Wedge didn't deny it. "I guess that's true. Lena and I just talked and talked the rest of the way back to her place, and when we got there, I… well, I decided to go for it. Wasn't sure if I'd ever get another chance to be alone with her like that, so when we were saying goodnight, I asked her to dinner on Saturday. And she said yes!"

"Oh, Wedge, that's awesome!" Jessie hugged him.

We all congratulated him except for Cloud, of course. He simply stood there watching the rest of us, his face as expressionless as always. While Biggs and Barret sat Wedge down with them at the table to play cards and talk about women, I decided to join Cloud and Jessie as they returned to the dartboard.

Cloud was just about to take his turn, dart ready to throw, when he suddenly winced and clutched the side of his head with his free hand. I took one shoulder while Jessie grabbed the other, both of us worried as we looked at each other and then him.

We called to him at the same time. "Cloud?"

He didn't seem to hear us at first, but after a moment, he shook his head, let go of it, and looked up again as if nothing had happened. "I'm fine. Just another headache."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Yeah, Tif. Nothing to worry about."

Jessie touched his forehead where it had hurt, worry in her eyes as she gazed at him, then slowly let go. "Let us know if there's anything we can do to help, okay?"

"Right," he said. "Thanks, Jessie."

Then he went back to the game, throwing his dart while Jessie and I exchanged a concerned glance. Neither of us liked what was going on with him, but there didn't seem to be much we could do about it. What was causing these headaches and fits? And why did he sometimes seem to not be himself, not the Cloud that I had known in my youth? People changed over time, I understood that. But this was different, somehow. I didn't quite know why, only that it was.

Cloud was a mystery I had every intention of solving.


	10. NINE

## NINE

A month later, Wedge and I were out on one of our patrols clearing away eaters and a handful of creatures he called grashtrikes. They were giant slug-like things almost three feet long with a pair of bright yellow eyes and two wire-thin antennae. They tended to spin webs that could slow you down if you got tangled up in them. Grashtrikes weren't very common in the slums, but they often infested the train tunnels in large numbers and had never really been cleared out.

The monsters hadn't been a problem, though, and it was just about time to head back to the bar and call it a day. As we finished up, Wedge started going on about that girl Lena again. She was all he ever seemed to talk about these days, even more than food. But it was still annoying to have to deal with. I sighed as he started in again.

"So, Cloud… it'll be month tomorrow since she and I started going out. Can you believe it? Happiest of my life. I'm thinking of taking her out somewhere special tomorrow night to celebrate. You got any ideas? You get around a lot, after all."

I blinked. "How would I know?"

"Aw, come on, bro! All those trips you and Jessie have been making across the slums. You've got to have seen some interesting places! Me, I don't really get out of Sector 7 much."

"I don't do sightseeing," I grimaced. Was he done yet?

Wedge grinned. "Don't give me that! You're telling me that you two have never stopped anywhere fun or special in all the time you guys've been working together?"

I brushed him off. "None of your business."

"Now I _know_ you have!" he laughed as we made our way down the road toward the _Seventh_ _Heaven._ "So come on, Cloud! Where'd you go with her? I bet it was someplace really nice."

There _was_ one place that Jessie had taken me to, but I wasn't about to tell Wedge. She'd first showed it to me a few days after Tifa and I had gone after the Vice gang. Jessie's trips for the day had taken her over to Sector 8, and after she had finished her business there, she had giggled and led me to something she called her "secret place".

It was just a dead end where the dirt road between Sectors 7 and 8 stopped at the outer wall in between the slums and the rocky badlands outside the city. There was, as usual, a lot of discarded junk in the area, but there was also an old picnic bench off to one side. It was settled on top of a low mound of dirt and scrap metal that rose about twenty feet above the ground and overlooked everything nearby.

Jessie had climbed on top of the picnic bench, waving at me to join her. So I had, sitting with her on the tabletop with our feet on the long wooden seat. And then I had realized why she'd chosen this spot. From here, we could see the sun shining down through seams in the plate up above us as well as from over the top of the outer wall, which was clear and gave us a good view of the badlands. I had realized then that it was the most daylight I'd seen since coming to Midgar.

It had been nice just to sit there with her for a while in the sun. She had done most of the talking, which wasn't anything new. Jessie usually did whenever we were together. There had even been a slight breeze, a soft puff of air coming in from outside to cool our cheeks and push the acrid mako stench away. Another reason she liked this place, no doubt. I had found myself liking it, too.

Over the past month, Jessie and I had gone there whenever we had the chance and our trips took us nearby. I had actually started looking forward to it, to be honest. The chance to see the sun and breathe some fresh air for a little while was refreshing, and Jessie was nice enough to be around and very easy to look at. Seeing her there sitting and smiling at me in the afternoon sunlight, I had come to realize for the first time that she wasn't just pretty. She was beautiful. But I could never find the words to tell her. I just didn't know how.

I shook off my thoughts and kept walking, eyes on the road ahead of me. "Like I said, stay out of it."

"If you say so," Wedge shrugged. "But you know what?"

"What?" I said.

He smirked, totally unfazed. "Almost sounds like you two went on a date, you know? What with how you won't tell me anything. Nothing wrong with that, by the way. You don't have to be embarrassed, Cloud. Jessie's a great girl. I bet you really like her, huh?"

I stopped, glancing down at the road. "Not interested."

"You're a bad liar," Wedge chuckled.

Looking back up, I started walking again, ignoring him. Jessie was just a friend. A friend. Why couldn't he see that? She and I weren't like him and his girl. I only spent as much time with Jessie as I did because I was helping her out. That was all. Nothing more than that.

Was it, though? Was it really?

* * *

"So, Tifa," Biggs drawled, easing up to the bar. "Tell me more about the new guy. I haven't seen much of him."

It was another busy evening at the _Seventh_ _Heaven,_ people coming and going and the low murmur of conversation filling the air. Marlene stood next to me behind the bar, the top of her head not quite reaching the counter. She loved pretending to be my assistant, and so I often had her get things for me that she could reach while I was back here. It was a simple thing, but it made her happy.

I poured Biggs his usual drink and handed it to him. "He's out and about a lot. After he got back from his patrol today, he went with Jessie on her rounds. They'll probably be back soon."

He took a swallow. "What's his story? Jessie said that you two grew up together. That right?"

"Yeah, we did," I nodded. "But I hadn't seen him in years."

"Until he showed up here," Biggs finished.

I slid him a napkin. "Right. He used to be in SOLDIER, but he left a few years ago. After our hometown was destroyed."

"Damn…" he swore. "Didn't know you lost your home. Shinra?"

"Yes," I answered, steel in my voice.

He sighed and took another sip. "Sorry, Tifa. Didn't mean to bring up bad memories. But anyway, isn't it hard to leave SOLDIER? Figured Shinra kept a pretty tight rein on 'em."

"I thought so, too," I agreed. "And it's okay, I'm fine."

"Well, whatever his deal is, I hope he can handle the mission. Jessie said they're picking up the C4 tomorrow night, so Wedge and I'll head on up to scout out the reactor while they're gone."

I wiped down the counter with a clean rag Marlene brought me as I thought about what Biggs had said. We were close now, almost ready for the mission. I couldn't help feeling nervous about it and where it all might lead. I wouldn't actually be going on the mission myself because I was staying here at the bar to watch Marlene, but I still worried about it and about Cloud and the others.

What would Shinra do afterward? How would they respond? It ate at my thoughts more and more these days, and I wondered whether we were doing the right thing or if we were making a terrible mistake. But it was far too late to back out. We were committed now, and Barret was dead set on pulling this off.

Most of the preparations were finished now. Jessie had hacked her way into Shinra's network a few weeks ago and had snagged the layouts we needed to plan the attack, and she had also managed to decrypt the passcodes for the reactor doors. All that was left was for her and Cloud to get the explosives, finish putting the bomb together, and for us all to have another meeting to work out the details of the assault so we knew exactly what we'd have to do and when.

And it scared me to death.

* * *

The next night, Jessie and I met her mysterious contact in Sector 3. The slum town was a lot like the others, full of shacks and dirt roads in a haphazard collection of ramshackle homes and shops that looked like they'd been hastily thrown together. Some were barely more than tents, and there were a lot of alleys and fewer streetlamps here.

Jessie led me down one of those narrow side streets, glancing back and forth to make sure no one saw us. The air reeked of mako, alcohol, and worse things as we followed the dimly-lit alley away from the main road. Jessie wrinkled her nose in disgust, shooting me a wry grin as we went along, and I let the corner of my mouth curl upward just a little in return. Her smile deepened when she saw it, and she was barely able to stifle a laugh, though her eyes danced.

Carefully avoiding the heaps of trash lying here and there, we went around a corner to our left, where we came to a small building made of rusted metal sheets and splintered wooden beams. Jessie and I glanced at each other for just a moment, then she knocked quietly on the door. At first, there was no answer, but after a minute or two, it opened a bit, and a middle-aged man with a short brown beard peered out at us, his dark eyes narrow and suspicious.

"Yeah?" he said. "Who're you?"

Jessie looked around, then back at him. "It's J. Are you Marcus?"

He frowned. "That's me. But… _you're_ J? Wasn't expecting you to be some kid. Or a girl."

"I'm twenty-three. Hardly a kid. But _definitely_ a girl."

"Obviously," Marcus grumbled. "Dunno what a little thing like you wants with what I've got, though."

She folded her arms in front of her. "I thought you weren't going to be asking any questions."

"Right, not my business. Long as you got the gil, that is."

"I do," Jessie patted her pocket.

Marcus opened the door the rest of the way. "Then come in. Not a lot of time to waste."

"Why's that?" I asked as we went inside.

He closed the door behind us. "My shop's in Sector 6. Wall Market. My brother and I sell weapons, armor, that sort of thing. He's the one at the counter most of the time, while I do custom work. Trouble is, a big cut of our profits goes right to Don Corneo. He owns Wall Market, and anyone doing business there has to pay up."

"But things like this, you do on the side," I said. I was beginning to understand now.

"Right," he said. "Special orders the Don doesn't know about. Gotta make up for what we have to pay him, you know. Anyway, somehow he found out about our little exchange tonight. So some of his men might show up. I'm just a simple businessman, and I'd rather we all got out of here with our skins intact. So we'd best get started."

I nodded. "Let's get to it."

Jessie and I followed Marcus over to a plain wooden table, where a large, black vinyl duffel bag sat. He unzipped it and dumped out a little of what was inside. The blocks of C4 tumbled onto the tabletop, clearly visible in the light of the overhead lamp. After we had leaned in to take a closer look, Jessie straightened and took a small leather pouch out of her pocket. Then she tossed it over to Marcus, the jingling sound of the coins filling the air as he caught it.

He opened it at once, looked inside, and drew it shut again. "It's all yours, J. Pleasure doing business with you."

"I see why you had us meet you out here instead of at your shop in Wall Market," Jessie said, shaking his hand. "Trying to stay out of sight of the Don's men. Let's hope they don't show up."

He snorted. "Tell me about it. But he's got eyes everywhere, all over the slums. So let's get goin' while we can."

Jessie and I were just putting the C4 back in the bag and zipping it up when the door burst open behind us. We whirled around, my hand flying to Buster's hilt, as five men suddenly strode inside. Four of them wore dark green pants, matching hats, brown shirts, boots, and blue ski masks with goggles. They each held a machine gun fitted with a curved blade about a foot long on the end of the barrel.

The fifth guy stared at us from behind a pair of dark and no doubt expensive sunglasses. He ran a hand through his short brown hair and brushed off his emerald green silk shirt. A pair of black slacks covered his legs as he stood there snickering at us.

"There you are, Marcus," he sneered. "You wasn't tryin' to get outta payin' your fees, were you?"

"I pay the Don plenty, Scotch," Marcus argued.

Scotch glared at him. "He doesn't like you holding out on him, pal. Time to collect what's owed."

"Try it," Jessie challenged him, her eyes narrowing. Her right hand hovered near her belt. "You and your pals'll be flying back out the door in two seconds flat!"

"You've definitely got some spirit, baby," Scotch leered. "I like that. So does the Don. He's lookin' for a honey, and I know he'd be interested in a girl like you. And if he ain't, I know I would be."

She grimaced. "Eww. Piss off!"

I whispered to Marcus. "You got a backdoor to this place?"

"In the next room," he answered.

"Get goin'," I told him.

Scotch brought up his own machine gun bayonet, his attention still on Jessie. "Not your choice. You're comin' with me, one way or another, after we get through with Marcus and your friend."

I drew Buster. "Don't count on it."

As Marcus edged backward around the table, Jessie slipped a hand into her belt pouch, her eyes never leaving Scotch and his goons. They had all brought up their weapons now, and they were aimed straight at us. Jessie and I had prepared for something like this, though, before we had ever come here. I slid my eyes over to her as she found mine at the same moment. I nodded to her, and she nodded back.

"Now!" I ordered.

In one quick motion, Jessie whipped her hand from her belt pouch and threw a small white object onto the floor in front of her. There was a loud bang, and suddenly large plumes of smoke filled the air. Marcus, Jessie, and I ran into the other room with hardly a sound as Scotch and his cronies coughed, swore, and fired a few stray shots that didn't come anywhere close to hitting us. We slipped outside through the back door and into another alley, Jessie carrying the bag of explosives in her other hand. I shouldered Buster and followed her.

We hurried away from the building, going from street to street one after another until we had left the place far behind. When we got to the large, junk-filled plaza that was the town's central square, we slowed to a walk before stopping for a minute or two so Jessie and Marcus could catch their breath.

"Looks like we lost 'em," Marcus glanced behind him.

"Seems that way," I agreed.

He looked back at us. "Thanks for the help. I owe you one, so come to my shop sometime and I'll see what I can do for you."

"Will do," Jessie smiled. "Be careful, alright?"

Marcus nodded. "You too, J."

Then he left, walking away across the square to another of the dirt roads that crisscrossed the town. Jessie tapped my arm, and we headed off in a different direction, down another street that would take us out of Sector 3 before Scotch and his men could find us. Jessie looked over at me as we walked, a wide, amused grin on her face.

"Well, that was fun, wasn't it?" she winked.

I shrugged. "If you say so."

She nudged me with her elbow. "Oh, come on! Tricking Scotch and his pals like that and leaving them in the dust? It was great!"

"At least we got what we came for."

"That's true," Jessie admitted. She glanced around to make sure no one was around. "And it's more than enough. I should be able to finish the bomb in a few days. Then we'll be ready to go."

I'd thought as much. "Good. It's about time. The sooner we get this mission over with, the better."

I almost didn't see Jessie stop, and it was only after I'd walked a few steps ahead of her that I realized she hadn't moved. What was wrong? I turned back to face her, and for a moment she didn't say anything, her brown eyes sad as she gazed at me. Then she put her hands on her hips and sighed bitterly. "And when it's over and you get your money, you'll be gone. Just like that."

"Jessie…" I began. We'd been over this before.

"No, I know," she shook her head. "You're only here for the money. If you've made anything clear to us, it's that."

I couldn't meet her gaze. "It's what I am. You know that."

"I do. And I'm not trying to argue with you. Your mind's made up, and I have to accept that. But, Cloud… I just wanted you to know that I've really enjoyed the time we've spent together. And that… when you do leave, I… I'll miss you."

Jessie hurried past me before I could respond, jogging up the road without looking back. I watched her go for a moment, wondering what it would be like to not have her around anymore, to not hear her voice or see her smile. And I realized I didn't like that thought one bit. When had I started feeling this way? I had gotten used to her over the past six weeks, sharing part of my day with her, fighting alongside her, and just being with her. And I didn't know if I wanted it to end.

* * *

Two weeks later, we was ready.

We was all gathered downstairs in the basement for a final meetin' before settin' out on the mission. Jessie'd finished makin' the bomb last week, an' thanks to the recon Biggs an' Wedge had done on the reactor an' the Sector 1 train station, we knew jus' how many guards was there an' what to expect. They hadn't been able to get into the complex itself, but Biggs had snapped us some pictures of the gate lock so he an' Jessie could plan out how to get it open.

"Awright, people," I said. "We gonna go strike our first blow for the planet tonight! Now let's go over the plan. Biggs?"

He stood up and put his hands on the table. "Right, boss! There are two guards on the train platform. We've gotta take them out first. Then it's on to the gate. After Jessie and I disable the lock, we head inside the reactor complex and make our way to the bridge."

"It's a big, T-shaped catwalk overlooking the slums," Jessie took out her tablet, tapped on it 'till the reactor blueprints came up, then tapped it again to project 'em onta the whiteboard so all of us could get a good look at 'em. "As you can see, there are three exits from the bridge. One's where we're coming in from. At the other end is where we'll go once we leave the reactor. It'll take us into a side tunnel near Sector 8. Lastly, the third exit leads into the reactor itself."

"I'll be staying outside," Wedge said. "The inner gates on either end of the bridge are set to lock automatically if there's ever a core overload, so I'll disable the one on the far end. That way it'll stay open. We won't have a lot of time to get out, though, so please hurry!"

Biggs went on. "Once we're inside, Jessie and I'll use the passcodes to open the interior doors on the upper level. While I look after things topside, the three of you are gonna take the elevator down to the lower levels and make your way to the reactor core. Security'll be tight, but it should just be roboguards. Jessie'll fill you in on that."

Jessie tapped her tablet screen again, an' the projection on the wall zoomed in on the core itself. "The core is in the very deepest section of the reactor. Barret, you and Cloud are gonna get down there and plant the bomb. Once you guys set the timer, we'll have to get ourselves outta there fast before the core goes up."

"What kind of resistance are we looking at?" Cloud asked.

"Good question!" Jessie flashed him a smile. "Like Biggs said, we'll run into mechs for the most part once we get into the reactor. Outside, though, Shinra guards and their dogs patrol the compound. The lower levels also have laser turrets mounted in certain spots, so be careful. It's nothing you can't handle, though."

I looked at my team. "If that's all, then let's go show Shinra what we got! Move out, people!"

Jessie shut off the projection, put away her tablet, an' we all headed to the elevator an' made our way upstairs, her and the guys grinnin' an' laughin' in excitement while Cloud was his usual coldass self, not even sayin' a word. Tifa an' Marlene were behind the bar, an' when I stepped off the lift, Marlene ran over to me.

I scooped her up in my arms. "We leavin' now, so be good for Tifa, understand?"

"I will, Daddy," she hugged me tight. "Love you!"

"Love you too, Marlene."

After she pecked me on the cheek, I put her down, an' she went to Jessie next an' hugged her, too. Then Biggs, who ruffled her hair fondly after lettin' go of her. Wedge was last, an' when she was done, she stood there for a moment an' just looked at Cloud. He looked back at her like he hadn't a clue what to say or do, an' he probably didn't. I hadn't seen a lot of him these past two months, but it'd been enough. An' I didn't like it, wasn't sure 'bout him yet. He'd been one of them damn Shinra, an' I didn't trust him any more than I coulda thrown him.

Marlene blinked once or twice, then scampered away, headin' back behind the bar with Tifa. Didn't blame her one bit. As for Tifa, she jus' had a quiet little laugh 'bout it as the rest of us got ready to roll out. We had all our gear, an' my team loaded up their guns while Cloud jus' had that massive sword of his. Hadn't seen him in action myself yet, though Tifa'd told me 'bout how he'd been fightin' eaters with Wedge an' helpin' Jessie while she was out on the road. I'd also heard about him an' Tifa's little mission to put the Vice gang in their place. Not bad, but I was still wantin' to see him fight with my own eyes. Didn't know if he was still a Shinra lapdog or if he'd prove he really was one of us.

But I was gonna find out, sure enough.

When we was all set, Jessie unzipped the black duffel bag she'd had with her an' took out the bomb. "Careful with this, Barret."

"I hear ya," I nodded, taking it from her.

"All you need to do is plant it, set the timer, and activate it. Try not to jiggle it or this'll be a real short mission."

I put it in the leather bag on my belt. "You ain't kiddin'."

"Good luck," Tifa said.

"We'll be back before you know it!" I grinned, heftin' my gun-arm. "Jus' keep the light on for us."

Then we left, hurryin' through the slums, into the outskirts, an' on past the pillar complex 'till we got to the train station. As we'd planned, the train was there, an' passengers were boardin'. There was usually jus' one attendant here, an' he was busy wavin' people in. Way too busy for him to notice us slippin' onto the tracks and around to the other side of the train where nobody'd spot us.

Jessie an' Biggs snuck on near the front an' hid in between the first two cars while Wedge an' I did the same farther down. Couldn't ride it normally 'cause the security sensors might've found the bomb, so that's why we was stowin' away on the outside. An' as for Cloud, he jus' went an' jumped right onto the roof and crouched down, those strange blue eyes of his fixed straight ahead.

A few minutes later, I heard the passenger door slide shut, then the engines started up, steam blowin' past as we finally got movin'. We was really doin' this. It was kinda hard to believe, actually. I'd been plannin' it for years, but now it was finally happenin'. My heart was poundin' in excitement and anticipation as the train sped down the tracks, an' I was clingin' to the rail with my good hand as I rode there at the back of the car with Wedge, not knowin' yet all that would come of what happened tonight, the mark we was gonna make on Midgar.

The train raced on, takin' us with it. Takin' us to destiny.


	11. TEN

## TEN

The train shot out of the tunnel and screeched to a halt next to the Sector 1 station with a hiss of steam. I knelt out of sight atop one of the cars closest to the back and watched the platform closely as two Shinra guards, each armed with a standard-issue assault rifle, approached the train to inspect the disembarking passengers.

Or so they thought.

The two guards split up, one going toward the front of the train as the other went to check the back. Once they did, Jessie leaped out from her hiding spot behind the first car and flattened the guard with a swift punch to the gut. He made barely a sound before she dragged him out of sight. By the time his partner turned and realized he was gone, Biggs or Boggs or Bill, whatever the hell his name was, had already crept out onto the platform and snuck up behind him.

The guard struggled as the guy in green grabbed him and held him steady just long enough for Jessie to rush in and take him down with a single spinning midair kick to the chest. While Buggs or Baggs moved the unconscious guard off to the side, Wedge and Barret jumped down onto the platform to join them. Barret nodded, then Jessie, Wedge, and the guy in green ran off and disappeared around a nearby corner. Time to move. I dropped to the ground in a leaping somersault, straightened up, shouldered Buster, and stood ready.

Barret turned and beckoned to me with one sweep of his arm. "Get movin', merc. This way."

He stomped away without waiting for an answer. Before I followed him, though, I knelt by the downed guard and searched his pockets for anything that might be of use. I found a few potions he'd been carrying for emergencies, but that was it. I hadn't expected much else. Call me a thief if you want, but when your life's on the line, the niceties can have a way of disappearing on you. I slipped the potions into my pocket and stood up just in time to see two more guards rounding the corner, guns in hand as I drew Buster.

"Halt!" one of the guards ordered.

 _Not likely,_ I thought, charging right at them. As they opened fire, I spun and ducked, slicing open the first guard's abdomen with a vicious backhand slash, then quickly reversed the stroke and impaled the other guard before he could react. His gun slipped from his nerveless fingers and clattered to the pavement as I pulled Buster from his chest and slid it back over my shoulder. I moved on as the bodies collapsed limply to the ground, and when I reached the end of the platform, I ran up a few stone steps and darted into the station itself.

The others were inside, hiding from another pair of guards. There wasn't anyone else here at the moment since it was later in the evening, just after 9:00, and the train we'd been on had been all but empty by the time we'd arrived here. The guards spotted me at once, which had been the whole idea, while the others snuck over the turnstiles and raced up the stairs to the second level, Jessie giving me a smile and a wave as she went. The guards never had a clue. Or a chance.

One of them stumbled back a step. "Who in the hell…!?"

I answered with Buster, drawing it again and sweeping it in a wide arc in front me, catching both guards at once. They staggered and tried to shoot, but I was already moving, thrusting the blade into one guard's chest, kicking him off, then blasting the other one with a jagged fork of lightning from my materia. He fell to the floor, smoke rising from him, and didn't get up again. So far, so good.

I jumped over the turnstiles and ran up the stairs after the others, making my way across the upper level until I reached the exit along the far wall. Jogging through, I emerged onto a brick walkway overlooking the platform, and only a short distance ahead of me, Jessie and the guy in green were working on getting the gate to the reactor complex open while Wedge stood off to the right. He was our lookout, his eyes on our surroundings, but when he saw me coming, he grinned and gave me a thumbs up. I ignored him, folding my arms in front me while I waited, and he sighed and lowered his hand, deflating like a balloon with a bad leak. Barret was nowhere to be seen.

The guy in green stood up and waved. "Hey! Guess you really were in SOLDIER, weren't you? No doubt about it. Kinda surprised you'd be here with us in Avalanche, though."

"Wait, what?" Jessie's head shot up from where she was kneeling in front of the gate. "SOLDIER? He's one of them?"

 _Damn you, Biggs!_ I'd finally remembered his name, not that I cared about it. What mattered was that he'd let slip that I'd been in SOLDIER. I hadn't told Jessie yet, still not sure how she'd take it, and as I looked at her, she gazed back at me with a hesitation I'd never seen in her before, a wariness in her eyes that only made me even angrier with Biggs than I already was. I wanted to strangle him.

“Not anymore,” he shook his head. “He’s one of us now, Jessie. You oughta know that better than anyone.”

She relaxed a little. "Oh… I guess that's true."

As Jessie returned her attention to deactivating the gate lock, Biggs looked back at me. "So, what was your name again?"

"Cloud," I answered.

He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. It was the first smart thing he'd done all night. As for why Mom named me what she did, she told me once, back when I was eight. I couldn't remember much at the time of the mission, but I do now. She'd been pregnant with me, sitting outside one late summer day and gazing at the sky. It had been entirely clear except for a single white, puffy cloud. She'd been telling me all the shapes she could see in it.

My mom had gone out there to think about what to name me, but she hadn't been able to decide. When she had told me about the cloud, saying what it was, apparently I had kicked. She had said lots of names out loud to see how they sounded to her, but "cloud" was the only word I had reacted to. Still don't know why. Mom had caught on before long, so she had named me Cloud. Said I'd picked out my own name before I was even born. Maybe I did.

Biggs offered his hand. "Glad to meet ya, Cloud. My name's–"

"Don't bother," I spat. "I'm only here for this one job. And when it's done, we're done."

He blinked, stared at me for a minute, then shrugged it off, turning back to watch Jessie as she continued working on the lock. She glanced over at me, sighed, and went back to tapping the dialpad she'd plugged into the gate controls. While she was doing that, Barret strode up to us from a bit farther down the path where it ended at another closed gate, his dark-skinned face a thundercloud.

"The hell is this, a moron convention!?" he fumed. "Quit movin' in a group! Or are y'all _tryin'_ to get caught?"

Biggs and the others flinched. "Sorry, boss!"

Barret grunted. "Forget it. We're hittin' Mako Reactor 1 tonight, so get your asses to the bridge!"

Seconds later, there was a loud beep as the light next to the control panel on the lock turned from red to green and the gate slid open with low mechanical hum. Biggs drew his gun and raced through first, then Jessie tucked her gear into her belt pouch, pulled out her own gun, and followed him. Wedge was next, ambling up alongside me with his rifle carried loosely in his hands.

"C'mon, Cloud!" he said. "There's _gotta_ be more to why you're here than just money. You know what I think? I–"

"Wedge!" Barret growled.

He jumped, glancing guiltily at him, then hurried through the gate, bouncing with every step. Barret watched him leave, then plodded over to the entryway himself. He paused when he got there, though, looking over his shoulder at me, a scowl creasing his face. I stared right back at him, not moving so much as an inch.

Barret hefted his gun-arm. "Ex-SOLDIER? We'll see 'bout that. I'm watchin' you, merc. Better be worth every last gil."

Then he strode off after the others. Gazing up above me and to my left, I saw the reactor itself looming overhead and belching fumes into the gloomy night sky. Then I pulled my eyes back to the path ahead of me and jogged into the complex. It was a small maze of enclosed areas surrounded by chain link fences, one of which Jessie was busy burning through with a mini blowtorch when I caught up to her and the others just a few minutes later.

When she'd finished, the section she'd been cutting clattered to the ground as she switched off her blowtorch, put it away, and crawled into the next section of the compound. Jessie was back in her blue and olive clothes along with her armored vest and chain shirt, and her bright red headband was cheerily vibrant. Barret and Wedge followed her, leaving only Biggs and myself. He stepped through to the other side, and I was about to do the same when he suddenly looked past me.

"Seems we've got company," Biggs pointed with his gun.

I turned around to see a pair of Shinra guards hurrying toward us, and with them was a vicious-looking hound with black fur and a single thick tentacle rising from its back. I reached back for Buster as they got close, drawing it and rushing them while Biggs fired a few shots before slipping away after the others.

The hound flinched as the bullets struck it, but it didn't go down. It charged, growling and leaping at me with its teeth bared. I met it with a pair of quick slashes followed by a blast of lightning while it was still in midair, throwing it off to one side where it landed in a crumpled heap. The guards started shooting, but I got Buster up in front me in time to block, using it as a shield of sorts. The bullets bounced off it in a series of sparks, then I hit the nearest guard with a low backhand slice across his abdomen. The other one went down next, flying to the ground as I slashed him once, twice, three times. He didn't get up.

When it was over, I ducked through the hole in the fence and sped off after the others, passing crates, boxes, power generators, and more. I came to a small storage bay after a minute or two, rode a lift up to the second level, and went on, following the walkway until it opened into a small enclosed area just outside a pair of thick steel doors.

Jessie and the others were gathered there, and as I finally caught up to them, Biggs grabbed a small valve wheel next to the doors and tried to turn it. It didn't move. Grunting with exertion, he pulled on it again, and this time, there was a grating of metal as the doors slowly began to slide open a crack. But that was all.

Biggs rubbed sweat from his forehead. "Damn, this sucker's heavy. How 'bout you give it a go, Cloud?"

I shrugged, took hold of the valve wheel, and began turning it. The thing was, as Biggs had said, very heavy, and it must have been directly connected to the doors. That explained the weight. Rotating the wheel wasn't easy, and the metal screeched in protest as I kept at it. But before long, the doors had opened all the way. And once they did, I touched a button next to the wheel to lock them in place.

"You've got some good arms on ya," Jessie winked.

It was the first thing she'd said to me since she'd found out I'd been in SOLDIER. Fortunately, Jessie seemed to have gotten over her initial shock, but I still didn't know if things would ever be the same between us. It was something I intended to talk with her about after the mission was over if we got a chance.

Barret led the others out onto the bridge, and I came last again. As he, Jessie, and Biggs made a right turn onto the short arm and hurried toward the reactor's main entrance, Wedge kept going until he reached the other exit on the far end. To my left, opposite the reactor, I saw the Shinra building rising up in the distance, and far underneath us lay the slums. The shacks and trails were just tiny specks at this height amidst the swirling mako fumes.

"Keep up!" Barret glared at me.

Jessie waved. "C'mon, Cloud! This way!"

Instead of following them inside right away, though, I went over to Wedge for a moment to make sure we'd have a way out later. He perked right up when he saw me coming, probably thought I wanted to chat or something. He came over to meet me when I got close enough, his eyes lit up with nervous excitement.

"I'll secure our escape route," he promised. "So just concentrate on the mission, okay?"

I nodded. "Right."

Wedge grinned. "Man, I can't believe we're really doin' this. What a sight it's gonna be! That's for sure!"

Neither of us could have known how unintentionally prophetic his words would end up being. I left him there at his post and ran back the way I'd come, making a hard left onto the short arm. Reactor 1 rose up in front of me, blotting out the sky. Not slowing down, I jogged toward the main entrance. The others had already gone inside, and as I neared the doors, I turned around to look behind me.

It was almost quiet, and I wondered briefly why we hadn't run into more resistance on the way in. It was after hours, of course, which had been part of the plan all along. The workers had already left for the day before we'd ever gotten here. From his spot near the exit, Wedge lifted a hand to wave at me. I sighed and entered the reactor.

* * *

I was waitin' for Cloud up at the top of a short flight of stairs in the entryway. The place had a high ceiling with a lotta big, thick pipes. For channelin' the mako, probably. They slanted down at an angle past the low guard wall to the right an' ahead of us. The door leadin' to the next room was on the left, locked up tight, but Biggs was already busy at the control panel workin' to unlock it. Jessie stood waitin' on the other side of the door, her gun in her hands.

She looked up right away soon as Cloud strolled in with that bigass sword of his on his back. Them creepy, glowin' blue eyes of his scanned the area, fallin' on each of us in turn before he folded his arms in front of his chest and jus' stood there like a goddamn statue, that pale face of his havin' all the expression of a brick wall.

"Ain't your first peek at a reactor, is it?" I guessed.

He shook his head. "No. I've been in them. Don't tell me you forgot I was on Shinra's payroll."

As if! I snorted. "Not for a goddamn minute! Now listen up! Mako energy runs through the planet. People use it all the time, but they ain't got the memo on what it really is. How 'bout you?"

"Not really," Cloud shrugged.

I glared at him. "Hmph! Didn't think so, SOLDIER boy. Mako's the lifeblood of this planet. An' Shinra's usin' these reactors to drain it dry. The hell else you think they're here for?"

"Forget the speeches," he said. "Let's just get this done."

"Fine! But from here on, you're stayin' right where I can see ya. An' remember, one false move… an' it's game over!"

He didn't say nothin' but jus' sighed an' walked over near the door, frosty as a slab of ice. The only sound for a while was the beepin' of the computer console as Biggs entered the first passcode Jessie'd gotten for us. Now all we could do was wait for the system to accept it an' unlock the door. I tapped my foot impatiently.

In the meantime, Jessie was smilin' at Cloud. "Biggs and I have the passcodes for the doors. He'll get this one open soon."

She was right. The words hadn't left her mouth but for five seconds when the console display suddenly changed an' a chime sounded from it. Biggs grinned as the lockin' mechanism disengaged, then he tapped in the command to open the door. The rest of us readied ourselves, not sure what we was gonna find on the other side.

"Got it!" Biggs pumped his fist. "Damn, I'm good!"

The door hissed open almost before he'd finished talkin', an' we got ready to move on. Cloud took point, Biggs an' Jessie followed jus' a few steps behind him, an' I brought up the rear, watchin' that ex-SOLDIER punk's every move. If he was gonna turn on us, I meant to be ready for it an' make sure he didn't survive that mistake.

The next room wasn't empty, though. Three of them grunts was in there. They was nasty, drugged-up troopers wearin' blue armored suits an' metal helmets that completely hid their faces. Probably for the best. On their arms, they wore a pair of steel gauntlets goin' all the way up to their elbows an' coverin' their hands in sharp claws. An' in each of their palms was a particle beam launcher.

Jessie'd given us all readouts to go over 'bout the stuff Shinra would be throwin' at us tonight, an' I'd made everyone read up on 'em all week so we'd be ready. Dunno how she knew so much 'bout 'em herself, but I figured she'd probably jus' gotten her information from hackin' into the Shinra network. Truth was, it went a helluva lot further than that, but I didn't know it. Not yet, anyway.

Them grunts leaped at us like a pack of crazed frogs, jumpin' every which way as we charged in. Cloud led the way, slashin' with his sword, while Jessie went left an' Biggs went right, shootin' at the grunts as they split to either side of the room. I opened up with my gun-arm, firin' an' yellin', but I missed as much as I hit since the things were so damn fast. The others was havin' the same problem.

"Uh, oh! Could really use a hand here!" Biggs called out.

He'd gotten backed into a corner, shootin' at one of the grunts as it swiped its claws at him. I shifted my aim to help, but Cloud was faster. He broke away from his own enemy, spun around, an' slashed the other grunt in the back three times, his sword movin' so fast it was jus' a blur. The grunt lurched forward in time to get a few bullets to the face from Biggs' gun before crashin' to the floor.

He grinned. "Thanks, Cloud!"

SOLDIER boy didn't get a chance to answer, though. He heard the grunt he'd been fightin' comin' up behind him an' whirled back around to take it out, but Jessie hit it first. She poured bullets into the frenzied thing jus' as it was gettin' ready to blast him with its particle beams, an' it tumbled forward in a smokin' heap.

"See!" Jessie smirked. "Told ya you'd need my help."

Cloud nodded. "Guess you were right."

After finally nailin' that last grunt, I lowered my arm and stomped over near the door. "So much for the welcomin' committee."

Jessie laughed. "No kidding! That was fun!"

While she went over to the next computer console to start workin' on gettin' the other door open, the rest of us jus' stood there waitin' an' catchin' our breath. Well, all 'cept Cloud. He didn't look the slightest bit winded. Must've been all that SOLDIER trainin'. He slid his sword over his shoulder an' back into place while I reloaded my gun-arm an' Biggs slapped a fresh clip into his gun. When he was finished, he walked over to join Cloud, an' they both watched Jessie as she entered the passcode to deactivate the locks on this door.

"I'm sure it wasn't easy for Jessie to snag us these codes," Biggs said. "So look after her, Cloud."

SOLDIER boy's eyes locked onto her. "Yeah."

The corners of Jessie's mouth turned up jus' a little, an' I knew she'd heard 'em talkin' 'bout her same as I had. She didn't say nothin', though, but kept workin' on the locks. A minute or two went by as I stood there waitin' on the other side of the door, then that chime sounded, and the display changed as Jessie disabled the locks.

"And we're in!" she said as the door slid open. "Piece of cake!"

Jessie hurried into the next room, her gun ready, while Cloud an' I followed behind her. Biggs stayed behind to unlock the first door again on the way out, since they'd reset once we blew out the reactor core. He moved back toward the first door with a wave an' waited there over by the console like we'd planned.

The next room was deserted, an' a side passage led off to the right. I motioned for the others to hold up a moment while I checked it out. It led to a small control room with a lotta computers an' machines in it along the walls an' some in the middle, too. Wasn't much in there, but I did spot somethin' sittin' on a shelf in the back. It was a first aid kit, an' aside from bandages, iodine, and whatnot, there was also a little tuft of phoenix down packed away in there.

The little feathers worked kinda like smellin' salts, an' if somebody got their damn fool selves knocked out while we was here, the phoenix down would wake 'em right back up. I took it an' rejoined the others to ride the nearby elevator down to the lower levels. The reactor core was down there, way at the bottom of this damn thing. That's where all the mako was drawn into the system an' converted into the electricity that powered both the upper city an' the slums underneath. There was eight reactors total in Midgar, an' if I'd had my way back then, I'd have blown every last one of 'em sky high.

* * *

"Mind pressing that button over there?" Jessie said.

She pointed to the elevator's control panel, and I did as she'd asked. The doors slid closed, and we started our descent. I folded my arms in front of me as Jessie stood nearby. We exchanged a glance while Barret took to pacing back and forth within the small area, and after a minute or two of that, he turned to face me.

"The reactors are gonna suck the life outta this world," he said, "bit by bit, 'till there ain't nothin' left. An' what do ya think's gonna happen then, SOLDIER boy?"

I shook my head. "Not my problem."

Barret scowled, his eyes narrowing. That wasn't really any different than what he'd been doing all night, though. Irritation was probably his normal state of mind, and he wore that angry glare almost like it was a permanent part of his face.

"The planet's gonna die, Cloud!" he exploded, hurling his arms up into the air. "Can't you see that?"

I didn't budge. "All I see is security getting tighter the further we go in. We've got a job to do, so let's do it."

Barret snarled, clenched his good hand into a fist, and then started pacing again, muttering to himself under his breath with every step he took. I ignored him, my thoughts on the mission, and I looked over to see Jessie gazing at the level indicator. She'd heard the whole argument but had been smart enough not to get into it herself. When she realized I was staring at her, she shrugged and gave me a resigned little smile. It did help ease my mood a little, and I guessed she was probably used to hearing this sort of thing from him.

There was a chime a few minutes later as the elevator stopped and the doors opened. We moved cautiously out into the utility access area, eyes alert for trouble. It was a huge square chamber with a high ceiling that we could just barely see in the gloom. Pipes lined the walls, and in the middle of the top level was a round, low tower elevated a bit above the concrete floor and surrounded by a metal railing. It was part of the reactor's power distribution system according to the layouts Jessie had shown us back in the basement.

We were just walking past the tower when suddenly a bright beam of light blue energy shot in front of us not two feet way. Jessie shrieked in surprise and staggered back a few steps as the blast hit the floor near her feet, barely missing her. I pushed her behind me, pulled out Buster, and scanned the area while Barret did the same, his gun-arm raised. It only a took a moment to find the source of the problem.

Four sentry ray laser cannons were fixed at regular intervals to the tower's railing a few feet above us. They were well out of Buster's reach, but not Barret's. Wasn't too far for my magic, either. While Barret fired at the one nearest him, growling like an angry dog, I struck another of the cannons with a sizzling fork of lightning. It sparked and shuddered but somehow held itself together.

Jessie took on one of the other two cannons, shooting with her gun as she darted aside to crouch behind a pair of metal barrels. I followed suit as more laser beams shot past, ducking down next to her for cover. Barret dove aside in the other direction back toward the elevator, firing as he went and swearing up a storm. Then he let out a larger blast from his gun-arm, tearing the first laser cannon apart.

"Hah!" he grinned. "You see that, SOLDIER boy?"

I grimaced. "Must've missed it."

Then, after hitting it with another shot of lightning, the sentry ray I'd been targeting exploded, bits of it flying off in every direction. Jessie cheered as she kept pouring bullets into the laser cannon that had been firing at her, and I struck it with more electricity at the same time. The machine soon crumpled under our combined assault while Barret took out the last one with a stream of sustained gunfire.

When it was all over, we regrouped and went on, descending a set of stairs down to a lower level of the main platform. We hurried across the concrete floor, the ceiling only a few feet above us, until we reached another set of stairs and followed them down to the ground level of the main chamber, a wide space with a number of large pipes curving from the floor to the wall and a row of sweepers parked on either side. They were giant mechs on legs, and they had a pair of large rectangular arms with high-powered machine guns.

"Sweepers," Jessie eyed them cautiously, but they didn't seem to be active at the moment. "They can easily wipe out an entire squad in just a few seconds. But they're also shut down for maintenance every night at about this time. We've gotta hurry, though. They'll come back online soon enough, and that'll make our escape harder."

I glanced at her. "How long?"

She pursed her lips in thought. "Twenty minutes, tops. If we're not outta here by then, things'll get complicated."

"We'll make it," I said.

Jessie smiled as she skipped ahead a few steps. "Not a doubt in my mind, Cloud! Not with you around."

The door to mako storage was ahead of us past the sweepers, and it slid open when we got close to it. We hurried inside, Jessie first. Barret and I followed just a little behind her. It was a large area lined with a lot of metal catwalks at varying levels as well as huge pipes for channeling the mako. The smell here was so strong I could barely breathe without my nose and throat feeling like they were burning.

"Damn!" Barret griped. "I can almost taste the mako in here."

"Not the most pleasant thing, is it?" Jessie agreed. She walked up to the edge of the catwalk we were on and pointed. "There's our objective. The reactor core. Gotta set the bomb at the bottom."

She moved on, climbing down a nearby ladder before we could say anything. Barret and I found her waiting for us on another catwalk just below the one we'd come from. It overlooked the mako vats about fifty feet beneath us, where the bright green liquid swirled amidst several of the biggest pipes we'd seen yet, huge things at least ten feet across. The mako flowed on either side of the large platform that held our goal, the reactor core. It was a large mechanism made up of smaller pipes, dials, reinforced steel beams, and who knew what else.

I was just about to climb down a third ladder when I realized Jessie hadn't moved. "Sure you're not coming?"

"I'll wait here, Cloud," she winked. "This is your show, after all."

"You gonna be okay?" I asked.

She winked. "Yep! I'd love to chat, and it's so sweet that you'd rather spend time with me than the reactor. But you really should get going. I can wait my turn. Go blow her mind."

Leaving Jessie at her post, I climbed down the next ladder and then another one, Barret just above me, until we came to the large platform with the reactor core at the far end. I hurried over to it, just wanting to get this done and over with as soon as possible. Barret moved ahead of me until he stood in front of our target.

"Ain't gonna be shit left once we blow this thing. An' that'll buy the planet a little more time."

I frowned. "Are you done yet?"

He pulled out the bomb. "Hmph! Here, you do the honors."

"I gotta do your work for you?" I sighed.

"Jus' do it, merc!" Barret growled. "Time to earn that paycheck. An' if you so much as blink in a way I don't like, you ain't gonna be walkin' outta here. You got that?"

As if that scared me. "Whatever. Have it your way."

I sighed and took the bomb, then walked past him to the core. The bomb was a sleek and rectangular black plastic box with gray bindings and a digital timer on top. I had watched Jessie the other night putting the finishing touches on it. She had explained to me that the microchip she'd stolen from the Vice gang and for which she'd been attacked, hurt, and nearly killed was the core of the bomb's CPU. It operated the timer, allowed it to be set, activated the voice warnings, and would trigger the actual explosion at the right moment.

Sticking the bomb to the front of the reactor core, I was just about to set the timer when a sizzling bolt of pain suddenly shot through the side of my head. It was just like what had happened at Jessie's house so many weeks ago the night we'd first met, and then over a month ago in the basement hideout. It felt like my skull was clamped in an iron vise. I gritted my teeth, bent over, and clutched my right temple, wondering what the hell was going on.

A flutter of movement nearby caught my attention, and I looked to my right to see, of all things, a small black feather slowly floating to the ground. As I watched, it disappeared once it touched the floor, and the pain faded with it almost at once, vanishing as if it had never been. For a moment, I stared at the spot where I'd seen the feather, but there was nothing. Whatever it was, it was gone now.

"Hey!" Barret called. "You okay?"

I shook my head and straightened up. "What?"

He snorted. "Better pull it together, SOLDIER boy. Don't need you freakin' out on me, you hear?"

"I'm fine. Worry about yourself."

I turned back to the bomb and switched it on, setting the timer for 20:00 and ignoring Barret's irritated glare. He stood just there scowling at me like an overgrown bulldog, not that it mattered much since that's what he'd been doing all night anyway. I reached for the arming switch, swallowed, and flipped it. No turning back now.

Barret and I moved to leave, but we'd only taken a few steps when something huge and metallic suddenly scuttled down from the ceiling high above the opposite end of the platform. It leaped right off the wall and landed in front of us on six massive legs. The thing also had a pair of claw-like arm cannons, a long whiplike tail pulsing with energy at its tip, and bright green eyes that served as targeting scanners. It was like a huge red scorpion, all steel and machinery.

"What in the hell…!?" Barret whipped up his gun-arm.

I drew Buster. "Here it comes! Get ready!"

Just seconds later, the guard scorpion attacked.


	12. ELEVEN

## ELEVEN

I dove aside as the guard scorpion's arm cannons spat out a stream of bullets in my direction. While Barret responded with a volley of his own, I used the distraction he'd provided to rush in and slice again and again at the thing's midsection. Sparks crackled and flew with each hit, but the scorpion held. This junk heap was tougher than I'd thought. No doubt a product of Shinra's infamous Weapons Development Division, the guard scorpion was the big bully of this place and was going to take more than a few hits to bring down.

Jessie had mentioned it briefly in the intel reports Barret had given everyone earlier in the week, but she hadn't been sure if it had actually been deployed. Looked like we had the answer now, though. Still, there had to be a way to beat it. And striking it with our weapons didn't look like it would be enough. Barret glanced over at me as we backed up, his gun-arm pouring bullets into the scorpion.

"How the hell we s'posed to fight this thing?" he growled.

Didn't seem like he'd read Jessie's report. "This thing's basically just a big machine, Barret. Hitting it's not gonna do much, but the internals can be overloaded. That'll give us an opening."

He grunted. "So what do we do?"

"Lightning magic! Keep it distracted while I short it out. May take a few blasts, but it should work."

"Sounds like a plan, SOLDIER boy," Barret nodded.

I spun around and hit the scorpion with a backhand slash. "Just try not to get yourself killed."

He snorted. "I ain't dyin' today, merc! So quit worryin'!"

"Who's worried?" I shot back. "I'm just making sure I get paid. I've got a fee to collect, that's all."

"Hmph! Jus' shu'up an' fight, will ya!?"

I ignored him, concentrating on my materia instead. Seconds later, a bright, sizzling blue fork of electricity shot into the scorpion, blowing panels off the sides and sending puffs of smoke floating up into the air. That walking pile of scrap metal didn't go down, though. Still had a lot of fight left in it. I circled around to the back and sliced at it again with Buster, hoping to cut through and expose its insides. A few slashes and some of the wiring came apart, but that was all.

In the meantime, Barret was still shooting, leaving behind a trail of black, smoking holes along the scorpion's dark red armor plating while swearing at it with every shot. He hadn't hit anything vital yet, either. I kept slashing, going low this time. If I could sever a few of the legs, the whole thing would collapse.

But before I could do that, the scorpion abruptly jumped high into the air and latched onto one of the walls, then let loose with a volley of missiles. I dropped into a sideways roll, dodging the impact as they hit the platform only a few feet away and exploded. Thunder filled my ears as I got back to my feet and spotted Barret firing off a blast of his own, a blazing orange fireball that shot from the end of his gun-arm and hit the scorpion squarely in the middle of its body.

I quickly followed up with another streak of lightning, and when it hit, the scorpion shuddered. Then it sprang right off the wall, spun as it fell through the air, and slammed down in front of us again. Its tail rose up above it, glowing brightly, and Jessie's intel suddenly sprang to mind as I remembered one other thing she'd mentioned.

"Barret!" I shouted. "Back off! You don't wanna get hit by that tail! Wait 'till it's down to attack it again!"

"I hear ya!" he called, doing as I'd said.

Once it went down a few moments later, I charged back in, leading with a third blast of lightning before cutting at the thing's legs. Barret's gun-arm sang bullets as we circled the scorpion and dodged its attacks the best we could. Another slash, and one of the legs clattered onto the floor. Now we were getting somewhere.

But then a pulsing blue energy shield suddenly went up around the scorpion, and Buster simply bounced off. Barret wasn't having any luck either, and I frowned, trying to figure out what to do while I moved to avoid more gunfire from its arm cannons. As I did, I spotted what had to have been the field generator mounted on the underside of its body, and a plan formed in my mind.

A shock of lighting send the generator sparking. "Barret! Shoot the field generator! That'll bring down the shield!"

"I'm on it!" he yelled. "Damn thing's a real pain in the ass!"

"Just shut up and fire!" I told him.

He did, pouring a stream of bullets into the generator, and between that and my lightning magic, it blew apart in seconds. Not wasting any time, I swept Buster across, taking off a second leg, and the entire thing collapsed. Barret shifted his aim, blowing one of the arms right off, and the other twitched feebly, still firing but unable to lock onto us. And as I kept slashing, I suddenly heard Jessie shouting from her place on the catwalk high above us.

"Heads up, boys!" she called. "My turn!"

I knew what coming next, and sure enough, I saw Jessie lob one of her purple grenades down at the damaged guard scorpion. Barret and I ran for the far end of the platform away from the core, diving for cover just as the raspberry exploded and took the wrecked machine with it in a blazing firestorm that shook the whole room.

Slowly, I stood up. "Looks like we got it."

"Damn straight!" Barret grinned. "That's Avalanche for ya!"

Jessie waved at us and winked. "If you wanna get technical, guys, _I_ got it. Although I appreciate you softening it up for me."

I shouldered Buster. "Better get moving. Time's running out."

"What?" Barret blinked. Then he glanced back at the core, his eyes widening. "Shit! The bomb!"

"You forgot about that?" I said as we climbed the ladder.

He grunted. "The hell I did! I, uh… I was jus' checkin' to see if you was payin' attention. Wedge should be watchin' our escape route, so we best get up there double time."

I wasn't going to argue with that. We made our way back up to the catwalk where we had left Jessie. She was at the far end and flashed me a smile when she saw me. I nodded to her as she walked toward us. As Barret started climbing the next ladder, another tremor suddenly swept through the chamber, shaking the room. Small fires burned across the walls and down on the platform where the scorpion's remains were still smoldering, and chunks of debris fell every so often.

There was another hard jolt as a third tremor shook the place, and I grabbed onto the ladder to stay on my feet. But Jessie lost her balance and fell forward across the catwalk just as a large pipe broke loose from the ceiling overhead and crashed through it along with several chunks of broken concrete. A large one caught Jessie before she could get up. It landed heavily on her legs, pinning her down as she shrieked in terror. The pipe kept falling, ripping a hole between us in the catwalk before it plummeted into the swirling mako far below us.

"Jessie!" Barret and I yelled.

Then an electronic buzzing sound suddenly filled our ears as three flying mechs swarmed down from above and went straight for her. The monodrive sentries were basically just floating eyeballs with four leafy green tentacles hanging from them. They had mechanical components too, from what I'd read in Jessie's report, and were often used to secure areas the other roboguards couldn't reach.

She swore as she pulled out her gun. "Shit! Cloud, a little help here! Hurry! I need you!"

Jessie started shooting, even trapped as she was, but there were too many of the roboguards. They swooped toward her, one after the other. Drawing Buster, I ran at the gap in the catwalk, jumped, and swept my sword in a wide arc before I'd even landed, slicing right through two of the monodrives before they could reach her. The third one managed to slam into her, though, whipping its tentacles across her back while she tried desperately to shield herself.

When the last monodrive rose up in the air again, I struck it with a blast of lightning from my materia. It sizzled but held, and I was about to slash at it when it suddenly skewed to one side, knocked off balance as Jessie shot it. Just as it started to explode, though, it let out a burst of fire that narrowly missed her face. She twisted around to avoid it at the last moment, firing off a few more shots as she did, and the mech blew apart in a shower of sparks and smoke.

"You okay?" I asked her.

Jessie grimaced as she put her gun away. "Both my legs are pinned down, Cloud. What do _you_ think?"

She tugged futilely at them, but the broken slab of concrete was far too heavy for her to free herself. Motioning for her to wait, I slid Buster over my shoulder and took hold of the debris with both hands. Bracing myself, I lifted it up and pushed it off Jessie's legs, shoving it aside once she had scooted well clear of it.

"My hero!" she smirked, brushing herself off.

"Hey!" Barret called to us. "There's another ladder over there! You two go that way. We'll link up at the top. Cloud, look after Jessie! Make sure she gets outta here in one piece!"

Not wasting a second, I followed Jessie up the other ladder until we got to the first catwalk, the top one. The doorway back to utility access was open, and she and I hurried through into the hallway connecting it to mako storage. I heard Barret running a short distance behind us, but we didn't stop. There wasn't time. The reactor continued rumbling, and I guessed that the scorpion's explosion must've caused more damage to the place than I'd thought.

"Those grenades of yours hit pretty hard," I said.

Jessie laughed. "Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'blowing raspberries', doesn't it?"

I nodded. "No kidding."

We hurried out onto the bottom level of the utility access chamber just a moment later, the rows of sweepers fortunately still dormant. But as we got close to them on our way to the stairs, another tremor shook the reactor and one of the sweepers suddenly whirred to life, nearly on top of us before I could even blink.

"Cloud, look out!" Jessie grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the sweeper's path just before it would have run me over.

I glanced at her as I drew Buster. "Thanks."

She pulled out her gun, slapping in a fresh clip as the sweeper sped past us before turning around. "Remember what I told you? I'm gonna take care of my hero. Just like he takes care of me."

"Yeah," I said. "Now stay back, Jessie. I'll handle this."

"And let you have all the fun? Not gonna happen! We can take this bad boy down together!"

Ducking under the sweeper's huge rectangular arms, I slashed with Buster, cutting across the metal armor while Jessie shot it with her gun, darting around to hit it from behind. Its armor was almost as tough as the guard scorpion's had been, but I realized it might also be vulnerable to electrical attacks as well.

A blast of lighting proved me right, as the sweeper staggered back, smoke and sparks everywhere. Jessie kept shooting, and I sent another fork of electricity into it. It shuddered but held together, shooting at me with its arm cannons. I managed to bring Buster up in time to block it, but I knew I couldn't hold out like this forever. We had to find a way to destroy this thing, and fast.

"Cloud!" Jessie called. "I've got an idea! Keep it busy! The joints are weak spots in the armor, so cut at it there!"

I did as she said, rolling to the side and slicing at one of the mech's large feet where it met the leg. I got a satisfying shower of sparks while Jessie put her gun away and climbed atop one of the dormant sweepers nearby. And while I kept slashing the active one and blocking its shots, fixing its attention firmly on me, Jessie leaped from her perch and onto the back of the live sweeper we were fighting.

While I struck at its leg joint again, Jessie took a screwdriver out of her belt pouch and unfastened a panel near the back. After tossing the cover aside, she took out another raspberry. But as she did, the sweeper suddenly lurched when I sliced it a third time, and she nearly dropped it as she clung to the mech and tried not fall off.

"Careful!" Jessie caught the raspberry at the last minute. "You don't want this going off early!"

I blinked. "Sorry about that."

She rode the sweeper like it was a bucking chocobo. "It's okay. Just give me a few more seconds!"

Dodging the mech's swiping arms again, I rolled aside, sprang back to my feet, and got to work. I slashed at the joint on the other leg while Jessie stuffed the grenade down into the exposed panel. When that was done, she pulled out the pin and stood up in a crouch, her arms out to either side to keep her balance.

"Cloud!" she shouted. "Heads up!"

Not waiting for me to answer, Jessie ran to the front of the sweeper and jumped off just as the raspberry exploded behind her. I backed up, dropping Buster in an instant as the blast threw her toward me. She fell into my arms, holding on tight as we rolled away from the sweeper just before it went up. Scorched bits of metal and wiring flew all around us as I kept Jessie under me to protect her. When it was over, we laid there for a minute, the wreckage of the destroyed sweeper smoldering almost twenty yards away in a pile of burnt, smoking steel.

Jessie smiled up at me. "Nice catch."

"Wasn't gonna miss," I told her.

"I know," she murmured. "And that's why I trust you."

Before I could say anything in return, Barret stomped up. "The hell you two doin'!? Save that lovey-dovey shit for later!"

"What took you so long?" I snapped, standing up in a hurry.

"Ran into some more of them damn monodrives. Blasted 'em all to hell easy enough, though."

Jessie's cheeks were red as she joined us. "Let's go, then!"

She dashed off ahead of us and started up the stairs while I picked up Buster, slid it over my shoulder, and followed her. Barret brought up the rear again, and we hurried back through the utility access area until we reached the top level again. When we got there, I pressed the button to call the elevator, and as soon as it chimed and the doors opened, we all raced inside. Barret hit the button for the first floor before the doors had even finished sliding shut.

"Come on, come on!" he growled.

I just stood there, my arms folded in front me, while Jessie glanced anxiously at the level indicator. We were still going up when a large jolt bigger than anything else before it suddenly rocked the elevator. We all had to grab the walls to stay on our feet as the entire reactor seemed to shake around us. The bomb must've just gone off, but something didn't seem quite right about it.

I glanced at Jessie. "Should the blast've been that big?"

"I… I don't think so," she murmured. "It was only supposed to take out the core. Nothing like this."

Barret grunted. "Figure it out when we get back."

A few moments later, the elevator chimed again and the doors slid open. We ran into the first level, the floor vibrating beneath our feet as more tremors continued to shake the reactor, smaller than the first one but still strong enough to knock us off our feet if we weren't careful. As we crossed the room, Jessie darted over to the console and got to work on the door. It didn't take long.

"Door's open!" she said. "Step on it!"

Biggs was waiting on the other side just like we'd planned. "Let's go, guys! Get a move on!"

We sped through as he ran to the next console, hitting buttons one after another in quick succession. Alarms blared and wailed around us as the reactor shuddered like a dog with a bad chill. Jessie joined Biggs, helping him get the door open while Barret and I hung back. Moments later, the panel turned from red to green.

"The way's clear!" Biggs pointed. "Move it!"

"Pick up the pace, people!" Jessie added as she ran through.

Barret and Biggs passed her as we raced out of the reactor onto the T-bridge overlooking the slums. Far ahead of us loomed the monstrous bulk of the Shinra building as it towered over the city, but I didn't give it much thought as I followed Jessie outside. The reactor was becoming a blazing inferno as it fell apart around us.

More tremors shook the place again, and a shower of broken mako pipes and shards of scorched and blackened metal fell onto the bridge. They narrowly missed Jessie, but the impact threw her off her feet with a startled shriek and she landed on her stomach. I ran over to her while the others followed Wedge through the exit.

"Can you walk?" I asked as I took Jessie's arm.

She glanced up at me and smirked. "Trust me, Cloud. If I couldn't, you'd _definitely_ be the first to know."

I helped her get to her feet. "I guess that's a yes."

"You sound almost disappointed," she laughed. "Were you looking forward to carrying me away?"

"I, uh…" I blinked.

Jessie didn't wait around for me to answer, though. She skipped on ahead toward the exit, a bounce in every running step she took. I went after her, sprinting across the bridge to keep up as the rumbling inside the reactor suddenly intensified and a huge blast of fire shot out of the entrance like a dragon's breath. As Jessie and I charged through the exit and sped into the gloomy shadows of a darkened service tunnel, Mako Reactor 1 began to explode behind us.

* * *

We was all gathered together in the tunnel, dust comin' down from the ceilin' as the reactor kept rumblin' every few seconds. It was like an earthquake, an' the lights flickered an' almost went out for a second as I looked at my team. Didn't wanna think 'bout how close we'd jus' come to gettin' ourselves fried. But we was all in one piece, even the merc, an' I wasn't 'bout to complain 'bout that.

I looked at Jessie. "Think ya overdid it a little?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "Maybe. It was a lot stronger than I was expecting. Could there have been a reaction with the mako? I've never heard of anything like that, but…"

"Does it matter?" Biggs shrugged. "We struck a blow for the planet tonight. That's gotta help, right?"

Wedge nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure it did! At least a little…"

I pumped my fist. "Planet's got some room to breathe. She's gonna need more, but for now, let's get outta this hole."

The concrete walls was close, more than I'd have liked, an' puddles was pooled here an' there on the floor from all the pipes runnin' along the ceilin' leakin' out everywhere. We set out down the passageway, me leadin' with the others jus' behind me an' SOLDIER boy bringin' up the rear, that big ol' sword on his back.

"We in between Sectors 1 and 8?" Biggs asked.

Jessie called back to him. "Should be. Once we find a clear spot, I'll blast us a way outta here."

The passageway was pretty much a straight shot, only turnin' once or twice as we headed through it. There was a lotta fallen rock an' huge chunks of concrete down here, sometimes almost blockin' our way. But we got through awright. An' soon enough, we found a more open part of the tunnel where Jessie could do her thing. She pulled a small bomb outta her belt pouch and knelt in front of the wall where it was clear of debris for a dozen feet in either direction.

"Gosh, you come prepared!" Wedge laughed.

She winked at him over her shoulder. "You got that right! I thought it might be a good idea to have a smaller bomb on hand just in case we needed to make our own escape route."

I grinned. "Good thinkin', Jessie. Smart girl."

"Thanks!" she beamed, puttin' the bomb down against the wall an' pressin' a few buttons before scootin' away. "Alright everyone, back up! It's all set. Fire in the hole!"

We all moved away an' ducked down, holdin' our arms up in front of us, an' only a few seconds later, the bomb an' the wall both exploded, showerin' dust an' bits of concrete everywhere. Thunder filled our ears and damn near deafened us, but it was gone jus' as quick. An' when we looked up, there was a brand new hole leadin' out to Sector 8 where the wall had been only a minute ago.

Brushin' the dust off ourselves, we headed outside.

* * *

We emerged onto a scene straight from hell.

High above us and to our right, the blackened, burning husk of the reactor was a smoldering furnace with huge clouds of smoke billowing into the gloomy sky. We stood in a small courtyard about ten feet or so below street level. The nearby buildings were all ablaze, and the sound of wailing sirens filled the air. A set of concrete stairs led up to the road from where we were, and debris was everywhere.

"No…" Jessie breathed. "It can't be…"

Her eyes were locked on the devastation, everything from the fires burning everywhere to the shards of broken glass on the ground, all of it. The scorched remains of the reactor, the countless chunks of rubble littering the streets above us, and the torn steel girders of the buildings around us. Jessie took it all in with wide, haunted eyes.

Biggs stared. "Was this really us?"

"I… I don't know…" Wedge sighed and shook his head. "But what if it was? I didn't think it would be like this…"

"What's done is done," I told them.

Barret nodded. “The merc’s right. I know you’re all worried. This a tough path we on. But I’m here for ya! Whatever your problem, I got ya covered. We in this together, right to the end.”

The others seemed to relax a bit after his little speech, all but Jessie. She just kept gazing at the disaster that was this part of Sector 8, and I wondered if she'd be able to hold herself together. After a moment, she finally looked away and slipped on a confident smile, but I didn't think it was as real as she made it out to be. She was a good actress, though. I could tell the others hadn't picked up on it yet.

Biggs put his hands on his hips. "So what now, boss?"

"Let's get our asses home!" Barret answered. "Make for the station, but split up. We'll meet on the train. Cargo car in the back."

"Copy that!" the others gave him a thumbs up.

Then they all raced up the stairs—Biggs first, Wedge in the middle, and Jessie behind. As they reached the top and disappeared around the corner, Barret started to leave as well. I caught up to him before he got too far, though. The mission was over, and he owed me my fee. I hadn't forgotten about it, not for a second.

"Hey!" I called after him. "Just a minute!"

Barret glared at me over his shoulder. "I know. You're wantin' your money, ain'tcha?"

I nodded. "Damn right I do. Where is it?"

"You'll get it, merc. Once we get back to the hideout."

Then he was gone, stomping up the stairs after the others. I sighed and followed him, climbing the steps until I reached the street. I wasn't surprised he was making me wait, though it did annoy me a bit. There wasn't much I could do about it, so I put it out of my mind as I walked up to the corner of the nearest building.

Jessie tapped me on the shoulder. "Hey there!"

I turned around to see her leaning against the wall. "Jessie?"

She straightened up and walked over to me, a glowing green orb in her hand. "Here. A little reward for my hero."

"Restore materia," I noted, taking it. "Where'd you get it?"

"Found it back in the reactor while you and Barret were off having fun down below. I'd like you to have it. For saving my life again. You're starting to make a habit of it, you know."

I gazed at her and held up the materia. "I'll save you as many times as you need. That's a promise."

Jessie stepped closer to me. "Gonna hold ya to that, merc."

Then she was wrapping her arms around me, hugging me so tight I barely knew what was happening. For a moment, I forgot all about the reactor and what we had done here tonight, what was still going on all around us. The warmth of Jessie's body against me practically drowned out any attempt at rational thought. Tentatively, I slid my arms around her waist, my heart pounding like a bass drum.

"Mind letting me breathe?" I asked.

She laughed, loosening her grip a little. "I suppose. Just wanted you to know you're appreciated."

I wasn't quite sure what to say, so I didn't. I liked the attention and affection she gave me, I just wasn't used to it. And I didn't have a lot of experience with women, either. Jessie didn't seem to mind, though. She rested her head on my shoulder for a moment, then eventually lifted it up with a sigh and let go of me.

"Guess we should go," she said. "See you on the train?"

I nodded. "Yeah. You'd better be there."

"Same to you, SOLDIER boy," Jessie winked, pointing at me.

Then she left, hurrying down the street toward the station. After a few minutes, I got moving myself and followed after her. Jessie was well ahead of me, but that had been part of the plan. The station wasn't very far away, and despite all the crowds milling about the street, I figured it wouldn't take long for me to get there.

I had no idea how wrong I was going to be.


	13. TWELVE

## TWELVE

As I slipped the materia Jessie had given me into my pocket, I saw that the streets of Sector 8 were crawling with Shinra soldiers. I walked at a steady pace, trying not to draw attention to myself as I approached the train station. There were more soldiers here, but I figured if I could just act casually enough, they wouldn't notice me and I'd be able to slip onto the train when they weren't looking.

Of course, things didn't work out that way.

I was just getting close to the platform when another tremor shook the area as the reactor shuddered with secondary blasts, aftershocks of the initial explosion that rocked the streets like an earthquake. Chunks of debris suddenly fell everywhere, bits of metal and concrete tumbling down in a deadly hail that nearly buried the platform and blocked any chance of getting to the train.

I jumped back just in time to avoid getting hit as people screamed around me and the soldiers tried to keep order. Looked like I'd have to find another way back to the slums. I hadn't seen Jessie since she'd gone on ahead of me, so I figured she must've made it onto the train. At least I hoped so. There wasn't anything I could do about it, so I turned away from the station and headed back the way I'd come.

There was a narrow alley on my right not too far down the street. I ducked into it, wanting to avoid getting too close to any of the soldiers. It wound its way through the sector, brick walls only a few feet away on either side, iron ladders leading up to the rooftops here and there. Fire escapes, I saw. I followed the alley as quickly as I could. They were a lot cleaner here than in the slums, which didn't surprise me.

Eventually, the alley opened up onto another street, this one wider. It was blocked to my left with a set of barricades, but to my right it was open, going on until curved around out of sight. A few cars lay on their sides, overturned by the explosion, and debris littered the area, though not as much as on the streets closer to the reactor. It was a little quieter over here, too, and I didn't see as many people.

As I walked up the road, I saw a large theater sitting on the corner, relatively undamaged amidst the chaos. Its lights were bright, and right above the entrance, spanning the entire height of the building's curved outer wall, a huge poster had been painted. It advertised the main play showing at the theater, with the word "LOVELESS" in bold orange and yellow letters along the bottom. There was more text written vertically along the left side, information about the play and when it opened, that sort of thing. But it was the picture of the girl that caught my attention and froze me where I stood, my mouth hanging open.

Her image completely filled the rest of the poster. A young woman in a black sleeveless evening dress, her left hand on her chest. Her eyes were closed, and her dark brown hair was short, hanging just above her shoulders. There was just a hint of red in it, and looked like it had been caught in a light breeze. The woman's face held me spellbound, and for a damn good reason. I _knew_ that face.

"Jessie…?" I breathed.

It had to be. There was no doubt about it. I'd seen her face so much over the past two months I'd have recognized it anywhere. Seemed she was more of an actress than I'd realized. Or had been, which looked to be more likely. But why had she given it up? What could've caused her to leave this life and start a new one down in the slums? She'd said that her past had a lot of secrets, but I hadn't realized just how far it went. I wondered why she hadn't told me about this, then remembered how I'd kept my being in SOLDIER from her. It wasn't any different. Jessie had her reasons, and I knew I couldn't blame her.

Shaking off my thoughts, I went on, thinking to pass the theater as I made my way around the corner. There were only a few people there, most of them wandering aimlessly about or talking in huddled groups about the reactor explosion. There was one exception, though. A girl in an ankle-length pink dress was standing near the theater's ticket booth, a basket of flowers hanging from her arm.

She must've been in her early twenties, her green eyes bright under her thick braid of chestnut brown hair. Over her dress, she wore a dark red jacket with short sleeves and pockets in the front, and plain, sturdy brown boots covered her feet. The girl had also fastened her braid with a bright pink ribbon that matched her dress.

She caught me before I could move on. "Hey, what's going on?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," I told her.

The girl nodded, then her eyes widened for a just a moment when she saw Buster on my back, almost as if she'd recognized it. She caught herself just a second later, though, looking away so quickly I wondered if I hadn't just imagined it. Then I remembered her basket, deciding to try and keep her attention away from what was going on if I could. She didn't need to have a squad of Shinra soldiers on her just because she'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time. And what she had _was_ a bit unusual, to say the least.

"Flowers?" I said. "Kinda rare, aren't they?"

Her eyes lit up. "You mean these? Yeah, you don't find them much up here. Would you like one? Special bargain price! Only one gil! What do you say? A wonderful gift for that special someone!"

I looked away. "I don't have anyone like that."

"You sure?" she smirked. "Because you might if you give her one of my flowers! Care to find out?"

"I guess…" I shrugged, taking a coin from my pocket.

She took the gil, slipped it into her own pocket, and then plucked a yellow flower from her basket. Winking at me, the girl tucked it snugly in between the left strap of my leather harness and my tunic. Then she backed up a few steps and giggled. I felt vaguely ridiculous about it but decided not to tell her. I had the feeling that she'd just tease me about it if I did. So I just stood there and sighed.

"Looks good on you," the girl winked. "Thanks!"

"See you around," I said.

She called after me as I walked away. "You too. Who knows, maybe we'll run into each other again sometime."

"Maybe," I replied.

I didn't think we would, though. Midgar was a huge city, much too big for my liking. I wasn't sure how much longer I'd be here, even with what I'd told Jessie. I liked her, but at the same time, I missed the open sky under the countryside. It wasn't the same seeing it from inside this cold metal plate. When I could find it at all, that was. From the slums it was harder, and I didn't know how those people could stand not seeing the sun every day. Artificial lights weren't the same.

Heading down the street, I followed it until I went through a large arch and into a wide plaza. An elegant, carved stone fountain splashed in the middle of it, and mounted at the top of the arch on this side was an old antique clock, probably from when Midgar had first been built. The time was 10:03, about an hour after we'd started this crazy mission. The train was probably already on its way to the slums by now, though I didn't think it had gotten very far yet.

But I wasn't alone in the plaza. A squad of soldiers was there, and it didn't take long for them to find me. I didn't have the time to stop and fight, though. I had to catch that train before it left the plate. There had to be tracks nearby. All I had to do was get to them. So I ran toward the other end of the plaza, cutting through any soldiers in my path but not wasting time sticking around to fight.

Racing through the exit, I found myself in another side street, and I followed it in between rows of tall brick apartment buildings. Soldiers chased me from behind, but I ignored them and kept on running until the road hit a dead end at a T-intersection. Just a dozen yards ahead of me past the edge of the street, the ground dropped twenty feet down to where the tracks were. Now where was the train?

"Freeze!" one of the soldiers behind me ordered.

I turned around. There were two of them, their rifles pointed at me as they stood ready. Great. I didn't need this! Darting away from them, I sped into the intersection, dodging bullets as they opened fire. But as I got close to the tracks and started to make a right, three more soldiers suddenly ran toward me from that direction.

One of them pointed at me. "That's him! Get him!"

"What a pain in the ass…" I muttered.

I ran the other way but only went a few steps before another group of soldiers rushed in from there. Soon they had all surrounded me in a wide circle, weapons ready. I reached back for Buster, closing my hand over its hilt. Looked like this was gonna be a fight after all. Not what I'd had in mind, but it seemed like it was the only way out.

But then a very welcome sound suddenly reached my ears. I let go of Buster and backed up a few steps. The train was coming, the roar of its engine getting louder as the soldiers drew closer. Turning around to face the tracks, I glanced over my shoulder at the soldiers and flashed a little smirk in their direction.

"No time to play tonight," I told them. "Later!"

One of the soldiers snarled. "Shut your mouth! Grab him!"

But I was too quick. Before they could do anything, I jumped over the side just as the train shot out of the tunnel. I landed in a crouch on the roof and glanced back at the soldiers as the train carried me away. They fired a few more shots at me, but by then I was already well out of range. Plumes of thick black smoke swept past me, and I coughed, put an arm in front of my face, and looked for a way inside.

* * *

We was all in the cargo car on the train, jus' as we'd planned. There was a buncha wooden crates scattered around, fulla all kindsa different stuff bein' delivered all across the city. The passenger cars was ahead of us, but I wasn't ready to go jus' yet. We'd all heard that loud rumblin' at the station jus' before the train had pulled out, an' I figured that musta been why Cloud hadn't shown up. Didn't know where SOLDIER boy'd gotten himself off to, though.

Biggs leaned against the wall near the loadin' door, his arms folded in front him while Wedge sat opposite him with his back against one of the crates. An' Jessie, she stood a little apart from the rest of us, lookin' 'bout a million miles away as she gazed up at the ceilin'. She was a good actress an' knew how to hide how she felt pretty well, but I'd known her long enough to see when she was doin' it. She was thinkin' 'bout Cloud no doubt. Worryin', more like.

"Guess Cloud didn't make it," Wedge sighed.

Biggs looked up. "Think they caught him? Doesn't seem likely, but with all the soldiers around…"

"No!" I slammed my fist on topa the crate next to me. "Merc wants his goddamn money, an' he ain't lettin' nothin' stand in the way of that. I guarantee it. He'll show up."

"Cloud…" Jessie said, lookin' at us now. "He'll be alright."

Wedge glanced at her. "You sure?"

She nodded. "Oh, yeah. No doubt about it. He told me he'd be here, and I know he won't let me down. He'll catch up."

"Yeah, you're right, Jessie! Cloud'll come back to us."

"You two saw him in action," Biggs added. "Guy's a one-man army. He won't go down easy."

Seemed my little speech had worked. They all liked SOLDIER boy, Jessie especially, though I didn't really know why. He was a cool, cocky son of a bitch, and it was probably parta the charm. But he hadn't come on the train with the rest of us, an' that had brought their spirits down. So I'd done what I could to fix that.

Biggs went on. "Think he'll stick with us, boss?"

I shrugged. "Hell if I know. I jus' work here. I ain't no mind reader. Wouldn't need him if ya'll could jus' keep it together!"

They all flinched, an' I coulda smacked myself. Though it was true they didn't have a lotta experience, they tried hard jus' the same. Guess I shouldn't have been so rough on 'em. They was good kids an' had put themselves in danger for the planet. I was jus' 'bout to tell 'em that very thing when suddenly something started bangin' on the loadin' door. A loud sound, like someone was knockin' on it. Who the hell'd be hangin' outside on a runnin' train?

I moved to stand opposite Biggs while Wedge stood up and rushed back next to Jessie. Grabbin' onto the door with my good hand as Biggs drew his gun and stood ready, I motioned to him, an' he nodded back. Then I threw open the door an' whipped up my gun-arm in time to see some crazy fool in black fly through the openin' before we could blink. He did a quick somersault an' landed inside on his booted feet. Soon as I saw that bigass sword, I dropped my arm right away as Biggs relaxed, a big grin spreadin' across his face.

"Cloud!" he an' the others cheered.

He looked around at us. "Showed up late, I guess."

"Was worried about ya…" I started. Then I blinked. The hell was I thinkin'? "I mean, you're goddamn right you're late! Think you can jus' drop in here an' make a big scene like that!?"

"Same as always," he shrugged. "Nothing special about it."

Now he was really pissin' me off. What fool reason did he have for bein' so damn late, anyway? He'd known right where and when we was s'posed to meet up. So why hadn't he been there? That cocky attitude of his was really startin' to gettin' on my nerves, an' it was all I could do to keep from gettin' in his face. SOLDIER boy was testin' me, that was for damn sure. An' he wasn't makin' it easy. He was probably enjoyin' every last minute of it, too.

"Goddamn jerk! Makin' everyone worry like that! You don't give a damn 'bout nobody but yourself!"

He raised an eyebrow. "You were worried about me?"

I took a step back. _"_ _What!?_ Hell no! Keep makin' smartass remarks like that an' it'll come outta your pay, merc!"

"Suit yourself," he said.

I looked over at the others. "C'mon, people! We're movin' up front. Now that SOLDIER boy's decided to show up, we can get comfortable. So move out, y'all! Follow me!"

Not stickin' around to wait, I went on to the next car.

* * *

The others were still looking at me after Barret had left, all of them glad to see me. Their unabashed stares were a little uncomfortable, but I couldn't turn away, either. Biggs and Wedge were both grinning from ear to ear, and while Jessie's smile was smaller, it was just as sincere and honest. And it was the one I noticed the most.

Wedge laughed. "You were awesome back there, Cloud!"

Holstering his gun, Biggs slapped me on the back. "We're gonna do even better on the next one! Just wait and see!"

"Definitely!" Wedge agreed. "It's gonna be great!"

Jessie nodded. "Hell yeah!"

Winking at her, Biggs glanced knowingly at Wedge. "Let's move up front. Don't wanna keep Barret waiting."

"Oh, right!" Wedge chuckled. "Can't have that!"

Then he and Biggs were gone, disappearing into the next car. Jessie and I were alone, and I knew without a doubt it was exactly what Biggs and Wedge had intended. I didn't know whether to be glad or annoyed. Wedge already thought Jessie and I were an item, and Biggs seemed to enjoy playing matchmaker. He'd already done it with Wedge and Lena, and now it seemed he was at it again. I wondered just how many times I was going to have to tell them it wasn't like that, but when I looked in Jessie's eyes, I wondered if I could even tell myself.

Neither of us spoke at first. There was only the low rumbling of the engine, the wheels coasting along on the tracks, and the wind blowing past the open doorway. The breeze from the acceleration tossed Jessie's ponytail a little, sending it tumbling behind her as she stood there with me in the otherwise empty cargo car.

She went over to the door. "I'll get this. Just a sec."

Taking hold of it, Jessie slid it closed, the resulting quiet as deep as it was sudden. I watched her, noting how gracefully she moved despite being an obvious tomboy. She was still a woman, and as she drew close to me again, I found myself becoming more and more aware of it. I felt my heart beating and knew it wasn't because I'd been running through the streets all night. Not anymore.

"Damn, I wish you could see yourself, Cloud!" Jessie giggled. "Your face is pitch black!"

I stared at her. "It is?"

She smirked. "Oh, you bet! But not to worry. I've got just the thing! Hold still and I'll clean you right up!"

I'd forgotten about all the soot and smoke I'd had to crawl through to get here, and I looked at my arms and saw they were also covered in the stuff. Jessie took a rag from her pocket and a bottle of water off her belt, wet the rag, and went to work. She started with my arms, first one and then the other, getting all the black off. My stomach was filled with feathers, her gentle touch sending them spinning like leaves in a storm. When she was done, she turned her attention to my face, smiling at me as she did. I couldn't pull my eyes away from her.

"Almost there," she told me, putting the water and rag away.

Next, she took out a small bottle from another pocket. Sanitizer, it looked like. Jessie opened the bottle, squeezed a small circle of the clear fluid onto her palm, then put the container away and took my left arm. She rubbed the sanitizer into my skin, all the way from my wrist to just below my shoulder, then did the same for my other arm. Then she put a bit more on her hand and applied it to my face. She didn't let go right away, though. Her hands lingered on me for a moment, and I realized I wasn't sure if I wanted her to let go.

But she did eventually, her fingers not quite steady as they released me. "How's that feel, Cloud? Better?"

"Much," I said. "Thanks."

"Glad I could help. Least I can do for my hero."

I pointed at her belt. "You always keep cleaning stuff on you?"

"Yep!" she answered. "Never know when you'll need to scrub up. It sure came in handy tonight, didn't it?"

"Seems that way," I agreed.

Jessie's eyes widened a little as she looked at my chest. "Now there's something you don't see every day…"

I blinked. "See what?"

"A flower," she pointed at it. "A real one. I've heard it's really hard to grow them in Midgar."

Now that I thought about it, I realized Jessie was right. I had totally forgotten about the flower I'd bought from that girl by the theater. And I hadn't seen any others in all the time I'd been here. How had she done it? And where? I wasn't really into this stuff, but the fact that she'd been able to grow these flowers in such an inhospitable place impressed me. Then I remembered her little sales pitch, and I knew why I'd bought it. And who it was meant for.

I took it and held it out to Jessie. "You'll manage."

"For me…?" her mouth fell open. "Oh, Cloud! Really?"

"Yeah. Call it an apology."

She paused as she reached for the flower. "For what?"

"For not telling you I was in SOLDIER," I explained. "I didn't want to scare you away. Not everyone likes them."

"You're forgiven," Jessie grinned, taking the yellow blossom.

I folded my arms in front of me. "Thanks. So it doesn't bother you, then? What I was?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Not a bit."

"Good," I nodded.

Jessie laughed as she tucked the flower into her belt. "Afraid I'd run away screaming once I found out?"

I scratched my head. "Not exactly, but…"

"You're not getting rid of me _that_ easily, SOLDIER boy."

"You think I want to?" I smirked.

Jessie stepped closer. "So what's your fee for a flower? Mercs always wanna get paid, right?"

"Don't need one," I said.

"Is that so?" she chuckled. "Hmm…"

Jessie thought for a moment, then smiled, leaned in close, laid her hands on my shoulders, and pressed her lips lightly against my cheek. I gasped, my brain about freezing up as my heart slammed into my ribs, my eyes widened, and my jaw dropped to the floor. For a few seconds, I couldn't even think, let alone talk. I was astonished, nervous, excited, and… happy. All at the same time.

She winked as she let go of me. "Well, you got one anyway."

"I…" I was still having trouble forming words.

"A little tongue-tied, are we?" Jessie teased. "It's okay. You'll be fine. But really, thank you for the flower, Cloud. I'll treasure it."

I swallowed. "You're welcome."

"Guess we'd better head up front," she said.

"Right," I nodded, a little calmer now. "But before we do that, there was something I wanted to ask you."

Jessie gazed curiously at me. "What's that?"

I went on. "On the way here, I passed by a theater. There was a big poster there, with a girl on it. It was you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," she chuckled. "That's me. Want an autograph?"

"Maybe later. So that was your life on the plate. Couldn't have been easy to give it up. What happened?"

Jessie walked away a few steps. "It's complicated…"

"So I gathered," I said. "Can you tell me?"

"Yeah," Jessie murmured. "I'd like to. The short version, at least. It'll be good for me to talk about it."

I moved over to join her. "Go ahead."

"How about we sit down first?" she asked.

Jessie did have a point, so I sat down next to her, our backs resting against the wall and our feet out in front of us. She took the flower out of her belt and spun it slowly between her fingers, her eyes lingering on it for a moment as I waited for her to begin her story. She was nervous, more than I'd ever seen before. And… was that a tear I saw in her eye? As if the flower had brought up old memories.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. Just relax."

"Thanks," Jessie smiled appreciatively. "But I'll be okay. Just haven't talked about this much. It's a little hard, you know?"

"You don't have to," I told her.

She shook her head. "I want to. I like you, Cloud. And I want to let you in, let you know me."

I let go of her and nodded. "I'm listening."

"Alright, let's see… you remember me telling you that I cut my hair short once? That it was something I had to do?"

"Yeah. I noticed you had it that way on the poster."

Jessie went on. "Right. I had it done after I left my old job. I had to change how I looked, you see. And not just my hair. Would you believe I used to wear glasses? Ever since I was a kid. But I got contacts when I quit my old job, and I've worn them ever since. I didn't just cut my hair either. Also dyed it. You might've noticed that it was a bit darker on the poster than it is now. I wore different clothes back then, too. I even had to change my name. Everyone used to call me Jessica."

"Not bad," I admitted. "Mind if I do it?"

"I'd like that," she smiled.

I thought about what she'd said. "You basically changed your whole identity. Was it because you got into acting?"

"I was in hiding," Jessie said. "Still am, actually."

I stared at her. "What? From who?"

She shivered. "My father. He's been after me for years."

"Why?" I wondered, worried about her now.

"That's another long story," Jessie sighed. "But basically, he's a very powerful man. Also completely ruthless. I found out about some of the terrible things he did, things you wouldn't believe. And he tried to kill me because of it. His own daughter…"

I felt my hand clench into a fist. "What kind of shit would do that? Someone at Shinra, I bet."

Her gaze dropped to the flower again. "You're not wrong."

"So that means… your old job, it was at Shinra, wasn't it? Doing all that weapons design. That's who you made the hell house for, why you knew all about it. And why it was changed."

"Yeah," Jessie whispered. "It was."

I looked at her. "Does Barret know?"

She shook her head. "No. To tell you you the truth, I'm little scared to tell him. You know how he treats you. If he found out I used to be in Shinra too, he'd probably hate me. Both for that and for keeping it from him. And he'd never trust me again."

"Doubt it," I said. "He's known you a long time, right?"

"Yeah, but… I can't help worrying about it. I like to laugh and joke a lot, but more of it's an act than you might think. Used to do that sorta thing for a living, after all. None of the others know I was with Shinra, and I'm afraid I'll lose them if they ever find out."

I didn't know Barret and the others that well, but I still didn't think they'd treat her that way. I'd seen enough to know that they cared about her. "You won't, Jessie. They're your friends."

"I hope you're right," she sighed.

"I am," I told her. "But anyway, why'd you start acting after you left Shinra? Bit of a change, wasn't it?"

Jessie laughed a little. "That was the point, silly."

I blinked. "I don't get it."

"Like I said, I was in hiding. The acting gig was just a cover. That's what it was supposed to be, anyway. But performing's always been one of my passions, just as much as the tech stuff. I was in all kinds of plays when I was little. I kept at until I was sixteen, even did a few shows at a smaller theater in Sector 8."

"And then you started working for Shinra," I said.

She nodded. "Right. For almost four years. Until I quit. Then I got back into it. But it wasn't just about hiding from my father. I needed to get away from all the tech stuff and weapons for a while, try to start my life over again. A lot happened when I was at Shinra, Cloud. Too much. It's still hard to think about sometimes."

That made sense. "I understand, Jessie. But isn't LOVELESS a little high profile? That poster was huge."

"Yeah…" Jessie chuckled sheepishly. "I hadn't planned on that."

"So how'd you get it?" I wondered.

She ran a hand through her hair. "The actress who played the main heroine left the production to be in a movie, so the theater announced an open audition for the part. It's a huge role, the one every stage girl in Midgar wants. I couldn't resist trying out. Didn't think I'd actually land it, but I did. They liked my performance so much they commissioned a whole new set of posters when I got the part."

"They don't do that for every girl that plays it?" I asked.

Jessie smiled. "Nope. Painting that thing above the entrance is way too expensive. So's printing all those posters. So they only change them for certain girls. Guess that makes me pretty special, huh?"

It did. "Without a doubt."

"Do you really mean that?" she gasped, her eyes wide.

"I, uh…" I looked away, my cheeks burning. "Well, I mean… yeah. I-I do. You're, uh… you're really special, Jessie."

She clapped her hands together. "Awww, you are _so_ sweet!"

"I am?" I glanced back at her.

"You'd better believe it, Cloud!" Jessie giggled. "But anyway, where were we? Oh, right! LOVELESS. Let's see… I spent almost two years in the theater, acting and having something almost like a normal life for a change. Even had a nice boyfriend for a while."

I wasn't surprised. "Who was he?"

She put her hand over mine. "Someone I loved very much. He was in SOLDIER, too. Not like you, though. Second Class. Always came to see me perform. He loved my play. Saw it every night. It's how we met, actually. But it was a long time ago."

"You miss him?" I wondered. "No, forget it. Not my business."

Jessie patted my arm. "It's okay, Cloud. I do, to be honest with you. A bit. I still think about him every now and then, wondering where he is, what he's doing. But it's not like that. I care about him, but I'm not in love with him anymore. I've let him go."

I could tell by how comfortably she spoke that she meant it, and so I relaxed, hardly even aware that I'd tensed up. Why had I done that? It didn't make sense. It wasn't like she was still pining over him. And even if she were, what was it to me? We were just friends. Her love life wasn't my concern. Or was it? Did I… want to be part of it?

I swallowed, needing to change the subject before I could think too much about the answer to that question. "So how'd you wind up down here in the slums, Jessie?"

"My father found out where I was," she said. "Sent troops to kill me one night and finish what he started. I barely escaped."

"You lost everything, didn't you?" I realized.

Jessie sighed and looked away. "Yeah. It was… hard. Really hard. It wasn't safe for me to be on the plate anymore. And my boyfriend knew it, too. I didn't want to go, but I didn't have a choice. He stayed behind, though. Being on the inside at Shinra, he knew he could help me more by staying there than if he'd gone down to the slums with me. Said he'd feed my father false information and keep him off my back as much as he could for as long as he could, make him think I was still on the plate and give him the runaround."

I nodded. "Makes sense. Couldn't have been easy, though."

"It wasn't," she agreed. "Not even close. It tore me up inside to lose my boyfriend, Cloud. We'd just gotten engaged two months before this happened. In a few more, we were gonna get married."

"Damn…" I sighed.

Jessie went on. "Because he knew how to find out secrets at Shinra, my boyfriend knew he could use that to help me. You see, I was one of those secrets. What I knew, how I left. And because I'd been something of a celebrity back then, it was well known that I had a boyfriend. So he and I knew my father would be watching him, too. For a while, at least. That was another reason my boyfriend stayed behind. He wasn't going to risk leading my father right to me."

"I'm sorry," I told her. "I mean, about all that."

It felt inadequate somehow, but Jessie smiled nevertheless. "Thank you, Cloud. I appreciate it. I really do."

Her hand was still on mine, and I wasn't in any rush to move it. I'd have been willing to bet she wasn't, either. We just sat there for a while in comfortable silence, our eyes finding each other as we listened to the train coasting along on the tracks. Jessie scooted a little closer to me as she brought her story to a close.

"I was a wreck for a while when I first came to the slums—but after a month or two, I moved to Sector 7 and met Barret and the rest of the gang. It took a long time for me to heal, but I found something I could do there to earn a living and help people, too—the tech support, water filtration, and other stuff—along with something to believe in, a cause to fight for. It took a while, but things did get better. It's no happily ever after, but it'll do for now. And here I am."

Reluctantly, I stood up. "Yeah. I guess we should get moving. Don't know how long we've been in here."

"Right," Jessie agreed. "Neither do I."

I took her hand and helped her up. "Ready to go?"

She nodded, tucking the flower I'd given her snugly in between the left strap of her metal vest and her black chain shirt. The yellow petals stood out in bright contrast to her steel breastplate as she bent her head low to smell them. She sniffed long and deep, contentedly inhaling the floral scent as a soft, tender smile crossed her lips.

Then she looked up at me. "All set, Cloud. Let's mosey."

"Jessica…" I began.

"Y-Yes?" she stammered, her breath catching in her throat.

She looked ready to melt on the spot. It was just her full name, but I guess hearing me say it had affected her somehow. Jessie gazed at me, her mouth hanging slightly open and her eyes never leaving mine. Her fingers fiddled idly with the stem of the flower, and she stood almost in a daze as if she hadn't quite taken in what I'd said.

I stepped a little closer to her. "Thanks for letting me in."

Jessie managed to recover some of her composure, smiling again as she looked at me. "My pleasure, Cloud."

Then she turned away and headed into the next car, leaving me by myself for just a moment. I thought about all that Jessie had told me of herself. There was still a lot I didn't know, but I was glad she'd shared as much with me as she had. Things _had_ changed between us, but not in a bad way. Not at all. And then, as I remembered how she had kissed me, I reached up to touch the spot on my cheek where her lips had been. It brought the feathers back to my stomach in a rush.

As my hand fell to my side, I followed Jessie and moved on.


	14. THIRTEEN

## THIRTEEN

As I wove through the rest of the freight cars, Jessie's slim form just a few feet ahead of me, I thought again about my plans to leave once I'd gotten my money. Doubt gnawed at me like a rodent. I liked Jessie, but I didn't want to get tied to a cause, either. And I wasn't sure how to deal with the feelings she brought up in me. It was both nice and unsettling at the same time. An odd combination.

We stepped into one of the passenger cars a minute or two later. It was a bit crowded, but not so much that we couldn't get through. And I spotted the others scattered around the area. Barret was sitting with his arms outstretched about halfway down the right side. Biggs and Wedge were standing at the far end of the car along with a man in a crisp, dark red business suit and black tie.

After taking one look at Barret, the man in the suit shook his head, muttered to himself, and hurried to the next car. Jessie giggled, ignored Barret's irritated glare, and made her way to where her friends were. As I started to follow her, the overhead speaker came to life, its automated voice emotionless and sterile as it spoke:

_Last train from Sector 8 Station_  
_Last stop Sector 7, Train Graveyard  
_ _ETA 12:23am Midgar Standard Time_

"See the headlines in the _Shinra Times?"_ an older man asked me as I passed him, holding up the newspaper he was reading. "Seems those terrorists that just blew up Mako Reactor 1 are somewhere down in the slums. Nobody knows exactly where, though. But taking out a reactor! That must've taken some really careful planning. And a clever leader. I wonder what they'll do next?"

News of the reactor bombing was in print already? It must've been a special edition that had been run right after the attack. That had been only a few hours ago. I exchanged a concerned glance with Barret, who looked as worried as I felt. Looked like Shinra knew to search for us in the slums, and while the undercity was a huge place, they had plenty of ways of tracking down information.

The slums had their share of people who were heartless enough or desperate enough to sell out their neighbors, and some, like Vice, were actively working with Shinra as well. We were going to have to be more careful if we wanted to avoid being found out. I didn't want to think of what Shinra might do if we were.

"Cloud!" Jessie called, waving to me. "Over here!"

I went over to join her, glad for the distraction. "What's up?"

She pointed to the monitor on the wall next to her. "Care to take a look? It's a map of the Midgar Rail System. I bet you'll love watching it with me! And don't worry, I'll talk you through it. So what do you say? Up for a little date at the plate?"

"Sure," I nodded. "I don't know much about Midgar."

Jessie laughed. "Then I'll be your tour guide! I really love this stuff, you know. Bombs and monitors, flash and boom and bang. But I don't need to tell _you_ that. You've seen it yourself."

I had. "Yeah. Lots of times."

"Sure have!" she agreed. "Anyway, let's get started."

We turned to look at the monitor together as she flipped it on. The screen hummed to life, and a bright green diagram of the city emerged, spinning slowly on a black background. It showed the circular shape of the plate along with the eight reactors lining the outer wall like spokes on a wheel. And in the middle of the city, towering above it all, was the Shinra building. Jessie's eyes hardened as she looked at it and started to narrate. I didn't blame her one bit.

"What we've got here is a wireframe model of the city of Midgar at a 1/10000 scale. The plate sits three hundred meters above the ground. Supporting it in the middle is the huge central pillar, and eight smaller ones hold it up as well. They're also called mechanized towers, one for every sector of the city."

Jessie glanced around for a moment before lowering her voice to a whisper. "That reactor we destroyed? There are eight in all, from 1 to 8, and they supply Midgar with electricity. Each sector had a name once, a long time ago, but nobody remembers what they are anymore. So we just use numbers instead. It's kinda sad, you know? But that's how it all went down. And the sort of place this is."

I nodded. "Seems complicated. I think I get it, though."

"I suppose it is," she agreed. "But we've gotta know it all by heart to be in Avalanche. It's all for a good cause, though. You'll see if you stick with us. The stuff Barret tells us, it can be a little hard to take in. What mako is, for example. So sometimes I just blurt it out without thinking. Sorry if that bothers you, Cloud."

"It's fine," I told her.

Jessie flashed me a smile. "Thanks! You know, I really hate to say it, but Shinra's technology is actually pretty impressive when you stop and think about it. I'd keep that just between us if I were you, though. It can be our little secret, okay?"

"Sure," I answered. "So what can you tell me about Shinra?"

She blinked. "Don't you know already?"

I shook my head. "Not really. It was a long time ago. Never worked at headquarters, Jessie. So educate me."

"I was hoping you'd say that," she winked. "You ready?"

"Yeah. Let's get to it."

Jessie folded her arms in front of her. "Okay, then. I'll fill you in on what I know. Shinra's our sworn enemy, of course. Biggest company in the world. They've sunk their claws into everything, Cloud. This train, the reactors, the whole city. It's all under their control, from our money all the way to the government itself."

I gazed at the screen. "They're everywhere…"

"You're not kidding. President Shinra runs the company, of course. He founded it, had the mako reactors built, and made Midgar what it is today. So we're fighting a losing battle, Cloud. I hate to admit it, but it's true. Do we… do we really have a shot at this?"

"Jessie…" I wished I knew what to say. I'd never seen her show any doubt about what she was doing before.

Her gloved hand clenched into a fist as she frowned at the monitor. "No! I can't think that way! We… we _will_ beat them. We have to. We've got no other choice."

I glanced at her. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said, lowering her arms. "Thanks. So anyway, there you go. For those of us living in the slums, the train's the only way to reach the plate. It moves a lot of things, both freight and passengers, between the slums and the plate. But you know, when you're riding this train, it makes you realize something. Those aren't the only things that the city up there takes away from us."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Jessie kept gazing at the screen, not really seeing it now. "Kindness, warmth, hope… they're all disappearing, Cloud. One by one, bit by bit. But I'm not gonna let it keep happening. That's why I'm here. I've lost a lot to Shinra over the years, you know. I've told you about it. Well, a bit of it, anyway. There's more that I haven't said yet. And I… I just want to make sure nobody else has to go through what I did."

I nodded. "I understand."

"Sorry for talking your ear off, by the way," she apologized, looking back at me. "Just wanted you to know why I'm in this fight. Didn't want you thinking I was just a girl with a bomb fetish. That's why I let you in back there. Does this make any sense?"

"Yeah," I answered. "I know it's important to you."

Jessie smiled, gazed down at the flower I'd given her, then lifted her eyes back to me. "Thank you. That means a lot to me, Cloud. You sure do know how to make this girl happy!"

"I, uh…" I just stared at her, not quite sure what to say.

"Now, check out what's next!" she pointed to the screen and traced her finger along a line of white dots curving all around the main pillar. "The train follows this route here, through the Corkscrew Tunnel built into the central pillar. It spirals all the way around it, hence the name. I think we're about halfway home now. Shinra's got security checkpoints all along the route as well. Each one has an ID sensor device that scans every passenger's identification and background and verifies it with the central database inside the Shinra building."

Jessie leaned close to me and whispered in my ear, the soft touch of her breath making my skin tingle with warmth and my stomach flutter. "We do stand out a bit, so that's why we've got fake ID's. Impeccable, of course. Thanks to yours truly."

Just then, the lights started flashing red as some kind of sensor net swept right over us. I turned to watch as it went down the length of the car. "What the hell…?"

"ID scan," Jessie explained, moving up next to me. "That's what the red lights are for. Never know who'll come out to play when they go off like that. It'll be over soon enough, though."

Sure enough, the lights switched back to normal a moment later as the sensor net disappeared. Jessie smirked. "What'd I tell ya, Cloud? It's nothing to worry about. Anyway, we're almost there now, back to good old Sector 7. I'll be glad to be home again."

"Thanks for the show," I said.

"The pleasure was all mine, Cloud," she chuckled. "So, how about I whip up an extra special ID just for you?"

I nodded. "Can't wait to see it."

Jessie clapped her hands together. "Awesome! Don't worry, Cloud, I'm gonna give it everything I've got. Gotta make it perfect for my hero, after all. It'll be blast! I'm really excited! Like, on fire! What do ya think about that, SOLDIER boy?"

"Uh, it's great," I shrugged.

"Of course it is!" she smirked. "Trust me, you'll love it! You're a guy after my own heart, Cloud. Or maybe you've already got it and you just don't know it yet. Guess we'll have to wait and see."

Across from us, Biggs had fallen asleep on his feet, leaning against the wall and muttering to himself as he snored. "Man, you need to chill out, Barret. Quit acting so big and bad all the time… really gets on my nerves. Damn, I need a shower when we get back…"

Jessie laughed at him, her eyes dancing, and without even thinking about it, I joined her. It wasn't until she met my gaze that I faltered and suddenly realized what I'd been doing. At first, I couldn't look away, my eyes lingering on her, and I couldn't find any words to say as she closed the distance between us.

"Is that a smile I spy?" Jessie playfully wagged her finger at me.

I brushed her off. "Don't know what you mean."

She wasn't about to give up that easily, though. "Oh, I think it was, Cloud. No need to be embarrassed."

"I'm fine," I insisted.

"Sure you are," Jessie winked, walking away. It was actually kind of attractive, her challenging me like that. I watched her as she went back to the monitor, only looking away when she glanced over her shoulder at me and smiled as if she knew there were feathers in my stomach and was deliberately trying to stir them up.

Nearby, Wedge gave me a thumbs up. "Looks like you're starting to warm up to us, bro."

"I told you, I ain't your bro," I said.

"Don't be such a hardass all the time," he grinned. "Relax!"

I doubted that was gonna happen. "Not interested."

"It's all good! Anyway, I bet Avalanche's gonna be famous someday, after we save the planet and all. We'll be heroes, Cloud! Think I've got a bright future ahead of me?"

"What'd you have in mind?" I asked.

He thought for a moment. "My whole life, I've felt like I was only a tag-along, a sidekick, you know? Or maybe the comic relief. But, more than anything, I want to be able to make a difference somehow. And in Avalanche, I think I finally can."

I sighed. "Guess we'll find out."

"Yeah!" Wedge agreed. "Hey, Cloud. After we get back, stop by my place and I'll introduce you to my cats, okay?"

He had three, from what he'd told me, though I'd never seen them. I always went off on my own once we were finished with our patrols. It had never mattered to me what he did when our rounds were over, and I'd never really cared. Wedge talked about his cats a lot, though, almost as much as food and Lena.

Putting him out of my thoughts, I headed back toward the middle of the car. Most everyone else had left by now, and it was just the five of us. Barret was still sitting where I'd seen him earlier. At first, there was only the sound of the train coasting along on the tracks as it wound its way steadily downward toward the slums.

Barret glanced over his shoulder out the window, his voice quieter than I'd thought it would be. "Take a good look, merc. This city, it don't have no real day or night thanks to that goddamn plate sittin' up there. We'd be able to see the sky if it wasn't for that thing."

"A floating city…" I murmured, leaning over one of the empty seats to gaze out the window as well. "Looks a bit ominous to me."

He looked over at me. "The hell? Never thought I'd hear you sayin' somethin' like that, SOLDIER boy."

I frowned. "Like what?"

"Bein' all deep an' shit. It's jus' one surprise after another with you, ain' it?" Barret stood up and continued. "The world up above, that city on the plate—it's 'cause of that goddamn thing that the people beneath it are sufferin'. An' you know how polluted the slums are. The goddamn mako smell's everywhere down there."

He started pacing up and down the train car, staring at us all one at a time. "An' if that weren't bad enough, the reactors keep suckin' up all the life, makin' the land 'round here dry an' barren as a goddamn bone. The air's fulla smog an' mako fumes, too, an' Shinra ain't doin' jack shit to clean it up anymore."

"So why doesn't everyone move onto the plate?" I asked.

"Dunno," Barret shrugged. "But you seen what it's like down there. People in the slums don't have the money to jus' pack up an' leave. An' maybe they jus' wanna hold onto what little bit of home they got, even if it _is_ all sick an' polluted."

I thought I understood. "Right. Nobody stays in the slums because they want to. They're on rails, just like this train."

The rest of the ride went quietly. We kept pretty much to ourselves, though I found myself glancing over at Jessie now and then. She caught me once and flashed me a little smile before smelling her flower again. I looked away in a hurry, my cheeks burning as I fixed my gaze out the window for the remainder of the trip.

It was maybe fifteen minutes later when the train finally pulled up at the Sector 7 station, steam hissing and brakes squealing. With Barret in the lead, we disembarked one by one. I came last, stepping out onto the platform to see Biggs and Wedge stretching their legs after the long ride. Jessie was there with them, doing an excited little bounce with her arms held up as she hopped from foot to foot.

"We did it!" Wedge grinned. "Took that reactor _down!"_

Biggs thrust his arms out. "One step closer to a better tomorrow!"

Jessie pumped her fist. "Damn right!"

"Guys!" Barret turned to them. He'd been waiting at the bottom of the steps. "Keep it down. Never know who's gonna hear."

The others abruptly stopped their celebration and glanced around them, but nobody had been paying attention. Jessie gasped and put her hands over her mouth for just a moment, then she folded them behind her back, stood on her toes, and acted as innocently as she could, even letting out a low whistle. Biggs and Wedge just scratched their heads in embarrassment and grinned sheepishly.

Barret went on. "Awright, gather 'round, everyone. You too, Cloud! Best listen up."

We all got off the platform and followed him a short distance away, where we stood together in a small, loose circle, Wedge on my left and Jessie on my right. Biggs and Barret were across from us. After looking us over for a minute, Barret nodded in satisfaction.

"It ain't pretty, but this mission was a success," he said. "We did jus' what we set out to do. You guys did me proud tonight, an' that's a damn fact. It's gonna get tougher from here, though, so keep your eyes peeled an' don't let your guard down. This was jus' the _first_ reactor. Next one's gonna be even bigger than that!"

"Yeah!" Biggs agreed.

Jessie put her hands on her hips. "Bring it!"

Wedge did a thumbs up. "Ready to go!"

Smiling at them, Barret pointed toward the slums. "Let's move out, people. Back to base with ya. Messaged Tifa on way here, so she knows you're comin'. She'll have somethin' ready by the time you get there. I'll catch up in a bit, so jus' go ahead an' relax."

"Oh, I am _so_ ready to fill up!" Wedge exclaimed. "Been runnin' on fumes all night."

"Don't worry, we'll get you topped off," Jessie laughed.

Biggs took Wedge's shoulder as he walked by. "Ain't no doubt about that. So let's get on home, guys."

He and Wedge headed off toward the slums, but Jessie lingered for a moment. She was waiting for me, I realized. Barret eyed me warily as he followed after the guys, but he didn't say anything. After he had left, Jessie turned to me and winked.

"Walk with me, Cloud?" she asked.

I didn't mind. "Sure. It's my job to keep you safe."

Jessie walked up to me and giggled. "You're _so_ diligent! I just _love_ a guy who takes his work seriously."

"Uh, okay…" I blinked.

Before I knew it, she had moved alongside me and had slipped her arm lightly through mine. "This is the proper way to escort a lady, you know. I'm guessing you've never done this before."

I shook my head. "No."

"Thought so," Jessie smirked. "That makes me your first one, then, doesn't it? Lucky me!"

"Jessie, I…"

She sighed. "I'm sorry. Too much?"

I looked at her. "It's fine. Just not used to it."

"Well, I can _definitely_ help with that," Jessie's smile was immediate. "But in the meantime, shall we go?"

I nodded, and we walked away from the train station together, arm in arm. I couldn't help feeling a little self-conscious about it, but I knew Jessie was enjoying it and I didn't want to upset her, so I stayed quiet as we made our way slowly down the dirt trail toward the slums. It felt as if we were the only two people down here, and the only thing we could hear was the sound of our footsteps and our own soft breathing. I tried to concentrate on what we were doing and where we were heading, but I couldn't help being distracted by the warm presence of the girl on my arm. It was a bit strange, but not unpleasant.

Jessie paused for a moment when we came to the pillar complex. I had passed it more than a few times since I'd been here, but I had never actually stopped to look at it. Now I did, Jessie gazing up at it with me, her arm still linked with mine. I felt her shiver involuntarily, and I was willing to bet she wasn't acting.

"That's one of the support pillars I told you about on the train," she whispered, her voice not quite steady.

"I remember," I nodded.

We stood and stared at it together, Jessie inching a bit closer to me as we craned our necks to see it all. The pillar was a huge square tower of stone and concrete with a long series of metal stairs winding up and around it to a wide circular platform about a hundred meters above the ground. I supposed it was probably used for maintenance, but I'd never seen anyone going up there before. Above it, the pillar rose all the way up to the underside of the plate.

Jessie's grip on me tightened a little, her voice a murmur. "I have to tell you, Cloud, that thing scares me to death. Always has. If… if it ever came down, we wouldn't stand a chance. So many people would die. It bothers me every time I walk past here. I've even had nightmares about it, to be honest. But you know, I'm probably just getting myself worked up over nothing…"

I pulled my eyes away from the pillar to look at her. "I don't like it, either. Seems unnatural, maybe because I'm not from around here. But I understand how you feel, Jessie."

"Thank you," she leaned against me. "Back in Sector 8, you told me you'd save me anytime I needed you. If this thing… if it ever did come down, and I was in it, would you still come for me?"

"Yeah," I told her. "You gotta ask?"

Jessie hugged me tight. "Guess not. You really _are_ a hero."

I shrugged. "Maybe."

"Definitely! But we should probably move on before I _really_ start to get mushy on ya. Although having you here with me _does_ make me feel a little better and not so afraid of this place."

"Glad it helps," I said. "Anyway, we'd better mosey."

Jessie slid her arm back through mine. "Well, okay then! Let's head on home. Don't wanna make the others worry."

"Right," I agreed. "Let's go."

We turned and left the pillar complex behind, making our way into the outskirts. I kept my eyes open for eaters, grashtrikes, wererats, and whatever else might be lurking in the shadows, but nothing showed up to bother us tonight. We walked in comfortable silence for a while, the mounds of junk rising up on either side of us, until we saw lights in the distance. We were almost there.

Jessie let go of me when we got into town. "I'll go on ahead, Cloud. Don't want to embarrass you. I know how much you love your bad boy image, after all. We can cuddle later."

I opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came out. She just waved at me, laughed, and skipped away toward the bar. I watched her jog off down the road until she turned a corner and disappeared from sight. It took me a moment to get moving myself. Jessie always seemed to have a way of surprising me, and I never knew what to expect from her. But she'd also been considerate enough to save me from the teasing we had both known I'd have gotten if I'd have arrived at the bar with her on my arm, and I was grateful to her for that.

Jessie definitely wasn't making it easy for me to leave, but I'd made my decision weeks ago. Once I got my money from Barret, I was going to put Midgar as far behind me as I could. But even as I thought that, I found I wasn't as convinced about it as I'd once been. Could I just walk away from Jessie like that? And from Tifa?

I wasn't so sure anymore. But I didn't want to get caught up in their fight against Shinra, either. I was already in deep enough after this first mission. Going any further would just bring trouble. And I didn't need that any more than the others did. Best to just get my money and go. It would be easier that way, for everyone.

I kept telling myself that all the way to the bar.


	15. FOURTEEN

## FOURTEEN

"Hi, guys!"

I smiled as Biggs and Wedge came into the bar, messing with each other the way they always did. The food was already on the table, and I was just wiping down the counter while Marlene stood nearby. She ran over and practically jumped into Biggs' arms, just a bundle of giggles. I laughed myself, it was so cute. After he had hugged her back, he gently put her down, and she promptly let Wedge scoop her up next. After he had greeted her, he set her on her feet and went with Biggs to the table, an eager grin on his face.

He gave me a thumbs up. "Looks great, Tifa! Thanks!"

"Anytime, Wedge," I shot him a thumbs up of my own. "You know there's always plenty for you."

"Let's get to it!" Biggs chuckled. "And don't forget the drinks!"

I winked. "Already on it!"

Jessie came in while I was bringing the guys their beers. She was all smiles, which wasn't really unusual for her, but there seemed to be a bit more to it this time than just her typical cheerfulness. She waved to the others, wrapped Marlene in a big hug, then walked over to the bar and sat down, her hand drifting almost unconsciously to something tucked under one of the shoulder straps of her armored vest. I had to blink to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

"What's that?" Marlene wondered, her eyes wide.

Jessie laughed softly. "It's a flower, Marlene. Pretty, isn't it?"

I gazed at it as I made her a drink. "It really is, Jessie. And it's a rare sight down in the slums. Or anywhere in Midgar, actually. They're just about impossible to find anymore. I'd love to know where you got it. I'd fill this whole place with flowers if I could."

"I'll bet," Jessie agreed. "As for where I got it, well…"

"C'mon, Jessie, tell us!" Marlene begged.

She went on, smiling fondly. "Cloud gave it to me."

My jaw dropped. _"_ _Cloud?"_

"Yeah…" Jessie said. "He had it on him when he met up with us on the train. Never told me where he found it, though."

"I see… well, that was really nice of him."

I handed Jessie her drink, not really sure what to feel at first. While part of me wished he had given me the flower instead, I was also really happy for Jessie and marveled at the effect she seemed to be having on Cloud's typically distant demeanor. And I wondered if she didn't have a better chance of keeping him here than I did. But as long as he did stay, it didn't matter to me who convinced him.

Jessie sighed. "Tifa, I never got to tell you before, but…"

Just then, the double doors opened again and Marlene raced across the floor toward them. "Daddy!"

But it wasn't Barret that had entered the bar. Marlene skidded to a stop just in front of Cloud, her brown eyes wide as she stared up at him in surprise. He looked as stunned as she felt as he just stood there with his mouth hanging slightly open, completely at a loss for words. After a moment, Marlene ran off into the kitchen. I shared a laugh with Jessie, then went over and took Marlene by the hand.

"Won't you say something to Cloud, Marlene?" I asked.

She nibbled anxiously on her finger as I led her over to him. Cloud looked at me and then her, obviously unsure of himself and of what to do. He'd seen Marlene around before but had never really tried talking with her. Of course, that hadn't surprised me. He didn't have too much experience with kids. Marlene took another look at him, let out a little gasp, and ducked behind me. I smiled at her for a moment and ruffled her hair a little bit. Then I glanced back at Cloud.

"Sorry," I apologized. "Looks like she's a little shy today."

He shrugged. "It's fine."

"Well, anyway, welcome back, Cloud. Seems like everything turned out alright. Did you and Barret get into it?"

"Yeah," he admitted.

I shook my head hopelessly. "Typical. I'm not really surprised. He's always been forceful, and I don't think I need to remind you how many fights you got into as a kid. You had me worried."

He brushed it off. "No need, Tif. I'm not gonna start punching him if that's what you're afraid of."

"I wasn't, but that's good to know," I smirked.

Just then, Jessie got up from her stool and came over. "Hey, Cloud! I'm gonna hang out with Biggs and Wedge for a while and chow down. Why don't you come and join us? It'll be fun!"

He looked away. "Not interested."

"C'mon," she urged, moving closer to him. "Do it for me?"

"I guess…" he sighed.

Jessie took him by the hand and led him away. "Great! You'll have a good time, Cloud. I guarantee it!"

I watched them go, surprised at how effectively she had persuaded him to go with her to see the guys. But I'd also noticed that, in the time that he had been with us, Cloud would sometimes do things for her or even for me that he wouldn't do for anyone else. It was sweet, though I knew he'd probably never admit to it.

While he and Jessie headed over to see Biggs and Wedge, I went to the kitchen to rustle up some more food. There was already a lot there on the table, but I always liked to make sure everyone had enough, and with Cloud not having eaten yet and Barret still on the way, I was sure that what I'd laid out so far wouldn't be enough. Especially with Wedge, who always loved having seconds or thirds and yet still found room for dessert. I smiled, fired up the oven, and got to work.

* * *

I followed Jessie to the table, letting her guide me by the hand. She glanced over her shoulder at me on the way and smiled encouragingly, giggling all the while. Although I wasn't entirely sure if this was such a good idea, I couldn't back out of it now. I didn't have any choice but to go through with it and deal with it as best I could.

"Cloud!" Biggs waved. "Pull up a chair, man! Good to see ya! How about a drink?"

I nodded and sat down. "Sure."

He grinned as he slid me a bottle. "Best way to unwind after work, I tell ya! Been wonderin' when you'd finally come around and hang out with us. Figures it was Jessie that got you here."

"What's that mean?" I frowned.

"Ah, nothin' really," Biggs took a swig of his drink. "Just seems like you listen to her sometimes, you know?"

Jessie smirked, doing a mock bow from where she sat on my right. "All thanks to my charming personality, of course. It's just melting that cold-eyed mercenary's heart. Right, Cloud?"

"Nope," I shot back.

"Hah!" she laughed, giving my shoulder a playful nudge. Then she leaned in close and dropped her voice so only I could hear her. "I know how you were back there at the pillar. So sweet. So caring. So romantic! Makes my heart flutter just thinking about it."

I stared at her. "You always gotta come on so strong?"

"Well, maybe not," Jessie admitted. But then she winked at me and tilted her head sideways. "Psych!"

She giggled and dug in, piling food onto her plate from the platters Tifa had brought over earlier. I sighed and did the same, realizing then how hungry I was. Tifa came over a few minutes later with more, laid it down on the table, and chatted with us for a bit before heading back to the kitchen again, Marlene trailing behind her.

Biggs added more food to his own plate. "Ahh, now that's more like it! Hey, Cloud! Former SOLDIER or not, you're still kinda new here. So let me give ya few pointers, alright?"

"Such as?" I asked.

"Hmm, let's see… First, never stand downwind of Wedge after he's filled up on beans. He'll clear out a room in seconds!"

Wedge looked at Biggs. "Hey! C'mon, man!"

"It's true!" Jessie teased, almost overcome with laughter.

"Suggestion noted," I said. "Next?"

Biggs thought for a moment. "Ah! Got one! Whatever you do, don't get Jessie mad. When she gets pissed, she gets punchy."

As soon as he said that, Jessie got up, walked past me, and smacked Biggs across the back of the head. He yelped and nearly jumped out of his chair, whirling around to look at her, but she was already returning to her own seat, a small, satisfied grin on her face as she sat back down and finished her dinner.

"What'd I tell ya?" Biggs warned me, rubbing his head. "She can be downright scary sometimes."

"I heard that," Jessie shot him an icy glare.

He waved his hands in front of him. "Okay, okay. Sorry I brought it up. Let me think of something else."

"See what he means?" Wedge whispered to me.

I nodded. "Point taken."

"What was that?" Jessie raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, n-nothing!" Wedge stammered. "I was just telling Cloud how good the food is. Right, Cloud?"

I took another bite. "Yeah, it's great. Tifa's a good cook."

Jessie laughed, apparently convinced. "Sure is! But I think Wedge'll be happy to tell you all about that."

"You bet!" Wedge beamed. "Maybe you already know, but Tifa's the best cook in the slums, maybe even all of Midgar! She lets me taste test all her new recipes. Guess that's why I'm so round, eh? Not sure if that's good or bad, but Tifa's made this place famous with the great food and drinks she makes. Everyone loves them!"

For once, I was in complete agreement with him. Tifa's still the best damn cook you'll ever find, anywhere, and Wedge hadn't been lying or exaggerating about that. Or about the fact that the _Seventh Heaven_ was famous because of it. People came from all over the slums to check out her dishes, drinks, and cocktails. I'd seen it every day over the past two months, and her reputation was definitely well-earned.

"Okay, last one," Biggs said. "Don't try to match drinks with Barret. You'll wind up under the table every time. Well, I dunno how a former SOLDIER would do, but still… might not wanna take any chances. Oh, and, uh… don't tell him I said that, okay?"

I shrugged. "No promises."

"This guy!" he slapped me on the back.

As if Biggs' words had summoned him, Barret stomped inside just seconds later. Marlene raced over to meet him before the double doors had even finished swinging shut behind him. She jumped right up into his arms as a wide grin split his face, and he gently set her on one of his wide shoulders and held her in place.

Marlene hugged him tight. "Welcome home, Daddy!"

"Have you been a good girl?" he asked.

"Uh-huh!" Marlene nodded. "I helped Tifa!"

Tifa walked up to them and smiled. "She really did, Barret. So how are you feeling?"

"Great!" he boomed. "Starvin', too."

"I thought you might be," she chuckled. "But don't worry, Marlene and I got something ready for you. Us, too."

She led him over to another table, which she'd already laid out with food while I'd been eating with Jessie and the guys. Barret set Marlene down on her feet, and she sat down next to him, a little booster seat on her chair. Tifa settled in across from them, and they all got started. She waved at us as Barret did the same.

"Guess ya finally decided to join us, merc," he grinned, gulping his beer. "'Bout goddamn time!"

"Nothing better to do," I retorted.

He wasn't fazed. "You keep tellin' yourself that, SOLDIER boy. But you ain't foolin' us."

I shook my head. "Whatever."

He turned his attention back to Tifa and Marlene, so I put him out of my mind, at least for now. I was going to have a word with him later, as soon as possible, about my money. I didn't like things being dragged out like this, but there wasn't much I could do about it. So I just sat and ate while the others talked around me.

"Want some more?" Jessie offered, indicating the platters.

I pushed back my plate. "I'm fine. That ID you promised me, when do you think you'll have it ready?"

Her eyes lit up. "Awww, you remembered!"

"Of course. I wasn't gonna forget."

"Yeah, that's true," Jessie winked. "Anyway, I was gonna get started on it first thing in the morning. How's that sound?"

I sipped my drink. "Good. I'll be outta here after that."

She sighed. "Soon as you get your money…"

I opened my mouth to reply, then shut it again. She'd never hidden her disappointment with my refusal to stay, and lately my doubts about it had been bothering me more and more as time had gone on. I didn't know why, though. What did it matter what Jessie thought? I'd already made it clear to her weeks ago what I was going to do. And yet, when I saw the sadness in her brown eyes, I couldn't help feeling as if I had let her down. What was I supposed to do?

Over at the other table, Barret lifted his bottle. "Avalanche!"

"Avalanche!" the others cheered, doing the same.

I swallowed the last of my drink while the others finished eating. It wasn't much later that I noticed Barret finally leaning back in his chair, his plate clean. I heard him tell Marlene something about finishing her vegetables before she could have dessert later, whatever that would end up being. Tifa was encouraging her, too.

When everyone was finished, Barret stood up. "Awright, guys. Let's get on downstairs for the meet. As for you, merc, jus' stay up here for a bit an' help Tifa with the dishes."

"Do I look like a busboy?" I snapped.

"Might get ya a little bonus on your pay if that'll make a difference. Come see me 'bout it when you're done."

As he and Marlene rode the lift to the basement, the others got up and started clearing off the tables. Once the elevator came back, Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge all rode it back down, standing close to each other so they could fit. Jessie waved at me as it began to descend, and I nodded back to her in return. She smiled as she and the others disappeared out of sight, and then it was just Tifa and I.

Not liking it but knowing I'd at least get a little more money out of it, I helped Tifa carry the rest of the dishes over to the sink. Then, after she had started washing them, I stood there dumbly for a moment not having a clue what to do next. Tifa laughed, grabbed a clean dish towel, and tossed it to me. I caught it one-handed.

"Nice!" she said. "Now, I'll wash and you dry, okay?"

I grimaced. "Alright. Can't believe he's making me do this."

Tifa handed me a plate to dry. "Hey, at least he's willing to pay you for it. So it can't be that bad."

"I guess," I said, wiping it with the towel.

"By the way, it was really nice seeing you sitting with the gang and spending time with them tonight."

I shrugged. "Jessie roped me into it."

Tifa laughed, passing me a glass. "Yeah, I saw that. Maybe I should have her do it more often."

"No need, Tif. I'm still set on leaving."

"You sure?" she asked.

I wasn't, actually, but I didn't want to share my doubts with anyone, either. "Pretty much. Just waiting on my money."

We finished the dishes in silence, and when they were all clean and stacked on the counter, Tifa started putting them away. I just watched, not knowing where anything went anyway. It didn't take long, and after she was done, she turned back to me and motioned to the stools on the other side of the bar.

"Have a seat, Cloud. Another drink?"

"Sure," I agreed, doing as she'd suggested. "Something hard."

She nodded. "Coming right up!"

Walking to the far end of the bar, Tifa took a glass from one of the shelves on the back wall, set it on the counter, and then grabbed a pair of slim bottles. Putting one down next to the glass, she tossed the other one in the air behind her back, spun around as it tumbled end over end through the air, and caught it expertly with one hand. It landed snugly in her hand, nose down, and she opened it with a single twist, pouring the liquor into the glass. Then she took the second bottle, shook it, and added in some of that as well. Lastly, she picked up the glass, swirled it for a moment, and then slid it down to me along the bartop with a grin and a little bow, her arms out wide.

I had a sip. "It's good, Tif. Thanks."

"You're welcome," she said, making her own drink, but without all the flair she'd given mine. "I'm glad you made it back safe and sound. It was a difficult mission."

"Not for me," I said. "Dunno why you'd think that. Wasn't much of challenge, to be honest."

Tifa looked away. "Not for a SOLDIER, I guess."

After a moment, she walked over and sat down a few stools away. I glanced at her, wondering what was on her mind. Why had she been so worried about me? And why did my having been in SOLDIER seem to bother her? I just couldn't figure it out, and for while, neither of us said anything. We just nursed our drinks, the only sounds the humming of the fridge in the kitchen and the ticking of the little clock sitting on the counter behind the bar.

"You having second thoughts?" I wondered.

Tifa looked at me. "Maybe. I don't know. We have to think big if we want to make a difference, but… not like this. I was fine at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I began to wonder. And I'm afraid of what Shinra will do in return."

I understood. "They'll have something planned."

"Yeah. That's what scares me, Cloud. I just… I feel trapped."

"Have you told Barret?" I said.

She took a long gulp of her drink. "No. He'd just tell me I shouldn't worry. Not that it would do any good."

I knew it wouldn't. "Right. But try anyway."

"Thanks," she replied. "But that's enough about me. Don't forget to see Barret about your pay. I know you want to leave, but it would make me really happy if you stayed. Jessie, too."

Not this again. "Sorry, Tif. Once I get my money, I'm gone."

She sighed. "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I answered. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason, really. You just seem a little tired, I guess. But anyway, you'd better go downstairs. Barret's expecting you."

I didn't need any encouragement to do that. He'd put off paying me long enough, and I intended to collect. After I had finished my drink, I stood up and walked over to the pinball machine. Time to get this over with. I glanced at Tifa for a moment, then held both the flipper buttons down and rode the lift to the basement.

When I got downstairs, Barret was throwing punches at the tall red punching bag in the corner while Biggs held it steady on the other side and Wedge relaxed at the table and watched. Jessie was, as I'd expected, in the other corner at her desk working on her computer. The meeting was clearly over, and I wasn't sure whether to be glad or irritated about it. I didn't know why it even mattered.

Wedge waved me over. "Hey, Cloud! Got a minute?"

"I guess," I said, joining him.

"We've decided on our next mission," he told me. "We're gonna go after Mako Reactor 5 next week."

I frowned. "Hitting another one?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Barret originally wanted to do it tomorrow, but we convinced him to push it back a bit. And Jessie's still gotta get some parts for the next bomb anyway."

"Makes sense," I agreed. "Moving too fast could backfire."

"Exactly! So, can I ask you something?"

I leaned against the edge of the table. "Go ahead."

"Do you ever get scared?" Wedge looked up at me. "I get that way a lot, you know. Or do you guys in SOLDIER not feel that sorta thing? Is it something you learn in there?"

Wasn't a bad question, really. "I've been scared before. Fear's always there, Wedge. It's part of the job."

"Really? I've always thought I was a coward because I get so afraid when things get tough even though I'm a pretty big guy. You don't need to worry about me, though. I'll figure it out."

"Just gotta push past it," I told him. "Don't let it stop you."

He grinned. "Yeah! You're right, Cloud. Thanks!"

I got up and walked over to see Jessie. Although I fully intended to get my money from Barret, I wanted to talk to her first. I was leaving in the morning, early, and I didn't think I'd see her again after I went back upstairs. I didn't like the thought of that, but I told myself this was how it had to be. Their fight wasn't mine.

"Hey," I said, pulling up a chair and sitting next to her.

Jessie smiled. "Hi! I heard what you told Wedge just now. That was really nice of you, Cloud."

I shrugged. "Just answered his question."

"Well, either way, I think it'll help him out. He looks up to you, you know. Him and Biggs both."

"They do?" I blinked. I hadn't known that.

Jessie winked. "You bet! We all like you, Cloud."

I supposed she was right, though it didn't matter very much to me. I had come here for money, not friends. And now that the mission that I'd been hired for was over, there was no reason to stay once I got paid. I repeated that thought to myself in my mind, but it didn't feel quite as convincing to me as it used to.

"Good to know, I guess," I said.

"Yeah," Jessie agreed. "But anyway, have you seen the news yet?"

I shook my head. "No, why?"

Jessie pointed at the nearby TV on the wall. "They've been doing a special report on the reactor. The blast was a lot bigger than I expected, practically caused a blackout in the whole sector."

"Didn't think it would go that far," I replied, staring at the screen.

"Me either," she murmured.

We sat there for a while and watched the broadcast together, and as we saw the images of the bombing's aftermath—the burning buildings, the rubble-filled streets, and the blackened husk of the reactor itself—I remembered how Jessie had looked when we had first left the tunnel in Sector 8 and seen the devastation firsthand. Her dark brown eyes were as haunted now as they had been then.

She gazed at me. "Was this… all because of me? My bomb?"

I took her shoulder. "I don't know, Jessie. Could've been something else. Yours wasn't supposed to do this, right?"

"Yeah," she said. "It was only meant to blow the core."

"Then try not to worry about it."

Jessie reached up and placed her hand over mine. "Thanks, Cloud. For cheering me up, I mean. I needed it."

I nodded. "Sure. Don't get all worked up about this."

"No promises," she laughed.

"Fair enough," I gave her shoulder a light squeeze and let go.

As Jessie lifted her hand and returned to her typing, I started to get up again. Time to finish what I'd come down here for. I hoped she'd do as I'd suggested and not beat herself up about what had happened with the bomb. There was nothing she could accomplish by doing that, and it would only bring her down. All she could do now was make sure the next one did its job the way it was supposed to.

Jessie called after me as I stood up. "Hey, Cloud?"

"Yeah?" I said.

"When you get done with Barret, come and talk to me again, okay? I'd like to say goodbye properly, if I could."

I found I did, too. "Sure, Jessie. I'll do that."

She gave me a little wave, then went back to work while I made my way over to the other side of the room to see Barret. To my right, I saw Marlene sitting nearby, swinging her legs and watching him and Biggs. When I got close, Barret laid in a last punch into the bag so hard that it flew right into Biggs and nearly knocked him onto his back. He caught himself at the last minute, though, and flashed me a sheepish, lopsided grin as he leaned against the wall.

"Barret must've put all he had into that last one," he smirked. "Just about sent me flyin' right onto my ass. Probably pretendin' the bag was President Shinra's face or somethin'."

"Damn right I was!" Barret fumed. "But that ain't what you here to talk 'bout, is it, merc?"

It wasn't. "No. You know why I'm here."

He punched the bag again, but not as hard this time. "Yeah, yeah, I do. But first, I got somethin' to ask ya."

"What is it?" I folded my arms in front of me.

"We fight anyone from SOLDIER tonight? Or was it all jus' normal troops? You oughta know the difference."

I did, without a doubt. "Not one. I guarantee it."

Barret scowled. "An' how can you be so goddamn sure?"

"Because if you'd fought someone from SOLDIER, you wouldn't be standing here to complain about it."

"Don't gimme that, merc!" he snorted. "Jus' 'cause you mighta been one of 'em once upon a time don't mean shit. Yeah, you're strong. I bet everyone in SOLDIER is. But Avalanche owns your skinny ass now, so don't even _think_ 'bout goin' back to Shinra!"

My eyes narrowed. "Goin' back to Shinra!? The hell's that mean?"

Barret didn't flinch. "You know damn well what!"

"I answered your question," I said. "And that's all there is to it."

"Better be, SOLDIER boy," he growled.

I walked right up to him. "I'm heading upstairs. Now. You owe me my money. And I want it."

"Shit!" Barret huffed. "Money! That all that matters to ya?"

At the moment, it was. He had put it off long enough. Hadn't even given it to me when I had come down here for that very reason. Guess I had no choice but to force the issue, and if that was what it took to get him to open that tight fist of his and pay me, then so be it. I turned and walked away from him toward the elevator, but before I had gone more than a few steps, Tifa was riding it downstairs.

She practically jumped off when it stopped. "Cloud, wait!"

"Let him be, Tifa!" Barret growled, punching the bag again. "Seems he's a loyal little Shinra doggie after all."

"Shut up!" I whirled on him, my blood boiling now. "I don't give a damn about Shinra or SOLDIER! But trust me, Barret, I don't care one bit about Avalanche or the planet, either!"

I stormed off, taking a breath to try and calm myself, and made my way over to Jessie's desk to wrap things up with her. She was engrossed in her work and typing away, but I was sure she'd heard everything that Barret and I had said. She was talking to herself, and as I approached, I listened for a moment.

"All this over money! Really! Well, it _was_ for a lot of it, so I suppose I can't blame him for being upset. It was just a verbal agreement, but… oh, what the hell! Better go ahead and put it on the books anyway. Now if I can just figure this out…"

Then she jumped in her chair and turned, suddenly realizing I was there. "Oh, Cloud! Didn't see you there! You startled me. So, um… did you hear anything I just said?"

"Hear what?" I asked.

She smiled. "Nice save, SOLDIER boy. Very slick."

I'd thought so myself. "We're trained to think on our feet. It's one of the things we're expected to master."

"I'll bet," Jessie chuckled.

"Right," I said. Then I sighed. "Jessie, I just…"

Her deep brown eyes grew sad. "I know. I hate long goodbyes, too. It's been fun, though, hasn't it?"

I couldn't deny it. "Yeah. Take care of yourself."

"You too, hero," Jessie answered. "I'll have your ID ready for you in the morning. It'll be on the bar."

"Thanks," I told her.

I put a hand on her shoulder for a moment, then let go and headed toward the elevator before I could draw things out any further. She was right that I didn't care for it. A quick, clean break was best. But still, as I walked away, I couldn't help glancing back at her one more time. It was harder than I'd expected, saying goodbye, and I realized I was going to miss her. But I'd manage, somehow, just like I always had. Jessie looked back at me and waved, and I nodded to her in return.

As I moved past Biggs and Wedge, I stopped for a moment without really knowing why. I didn't have a clue what to say to them. We'd been on a mission together now, but it wasn't like I felt close to them. Wedge grinned and gave me a thumbs up when he saw me coming. He'd been chummy ever since we'd met, trying again and again to get me to be his buddy. It hadn't worked yet, but he was very persistent and still refused to give up even now. I had to give him that much.

"Hey, bro!" Wedge said. "Don't let Barret get ya down, alright? He's not a bad guy, he just really hates Shinra. A lot. But he doesn't back out on his word, either. If he said he'd pay ya, he will."

"You sure about that?" I wondered.

He pointed at me. "Absolutely! You know, Cloud, you say you don't care, but here you are talking with me. Know what I think? I think you just wanna have some friends. Isn't that right?"

I shrugged. "If you say so."

"I know so! You look kinda lonely to me, bro. But don't worry! I'm always here if you ever want someone to talk to."

I didn't think I'd ever take him up on the offer, though. I wasn't one to talk much, and even less about what was on my mind. Dealing with people wasn't exactly my best skill, after all. Well, most people, anyway. Jessie and Tifa were exceptions, but I didn't really know why. Only that I felt more comfortable with them than everyone else. And it had taken me a little while to relax with Jessie as much as I had. I doubted I'd ever be that way with the guys, though.

Biggs gave me a jaunty little salute. "Good workin' with ya, Cloud. Be seein' you around, alright?"

"I guess so," I answered. "Later."

"And thanks for keepin' Jessie safe. I appreciate it."

I nodded. "No problem."

Tifa was waiting for me by the elevator. Once I'd taken my leave of Biggs and Wedge, I headed over to see her. She wasn't happy, her hands on her hips and her reddish-brown eyes just as sad and disappointed as Jessie's had been. I didn't like it, but I'd had enough of Barret to last me a lifetime. I'd said my goodbyes to the others, so there wasn't any point in sticking around once I got my money.

She motioned to them. "You make nice with everyone?"

"Best I could," I said.

"I can imagine. You're not exactly a people person, after all. But I'm sure you did fine."

No arguing with that. "Yeah. I think so."

"Cloud…" she started.

"No, Tif. I'm done. Tell Barret to get his ass upstairs. I'll be waiting for him. And my money."

Without waiting for an answer, I brushed past her and moved onto the lift. As I held down the flipper buttons on the pinball machine and it began to rise, I took a last look at everyone but didn't really see most of them. My eyes lingered on Tifa and Jessie, though. First they went to Tifa, and then they drifted over to Jessie and stayed on her until the lift carried me too high to see her anymore.

Her eyes stayed on me the whole time, too.


	16. FIFTEEN

## FIFTEEN

I walked across the bar toward the front and sat on the edge of one of the tables to wait for Barret and try to get my emotions under some kind of control. He'd gotten under my skin downstairs and I had ended up losing my cool. Though I'd kept it down more or less while I'd been saying goodbye to Jessie and the guys, that anger still simmered inside me like a pot boiling on a hot stove.

When the elevator went down and then came back up again, I saw it wasn't Barret who had ridden upstairs, but Tifa. I wasn't surprised to see her, really. She could be as persistent as Wedge sometimes. Seemed she hadn't given up yet, but I didn't think there was anything she could say that would get me to change my mind.

"Cloud," she said, walking up to me. "Stay with us. Please. We need you. I'm asking you, as your friend."

I shook my head. "Sorry, Tif. I can't do that."

But she didn't stop. "The planet's dying, a little more every day. We have to do something while we still can."

Hadn't Tifa figured out by now that I didn't believe in that stuff? It didn't make sense to me. Never had. I understood that she and the rest believed in what they were doing and that it was important to them. It just wasn't my problem, and I didn't see any reason to change that. And while I hated Shinra as much as they did despite what I'd said down in the basement, I wasn't ready to join this fight.

"Barret and the others can handle it," I said. "It's not my problem."

Tifa put her hands on her hips. "And what about Jessie?"

I frowned. "What about her?"

"I've seen the way you look at her," she replied, folding her arms in front of her. "You've spent a lot of time with her these past two months, and not just on the job. She's told me."

"So?" I shrugged. "She's a friend. Like you."

Tifa fixed me with a knowing gaze. "Maybe at first. But what about now? Sure you're not just trying to run away from something you don't know how to handle?"

I blinked. "What do you mean? I'm not running away."

"You're leaving, aren't you? Once you get your money? We grew up together, Cloud. You and I. How can you just forget about that? I need your help. Jessie needs your help. We all do."

"I haven't forgotten, Tifa," I argued. "How can you think that?"

She sighed. "Maybe because you're trying to walk out on us, Cloud. On me. Your childhood friend."

I stared at her. "You know it's not like that!"

"Then show me! Because I'm not buying the selfish mercenary act anymore. I know you care. You're just afraid to really show it. I've seen enough of you over the past eight weeks to know that much. So, Cloud, I'm asking you… please don't go."

"I don't know," I said. "Barret's a real headache."

Tifa laughed. "He can be, but he means well. You'll see."

I wasn't so sure about that. "Maybe."

"Hey, Cloud," she went on, sitting next to me on the table. "Do you remember our promise? From back home?"

At first, I didn't. My mind was strangely muddled, almost blank. It didn't make any sense. But then I saw an image in my thoughts, a water tower under a night sky sparkling with a thousand stars. Something I'd seen a long time ago. I had been there, but not alone. Tifa had come to see me, just as I'd asked her to. The memory was clear now, and I knew exactly what she was talking about.

I nodded. "Yeah, I do. Our promise…"

Tifa smiled. "Seven years ago. I'm so glad you didn't forget about it. I thought you might have."

"No, I remember," I told her.

"That's good. So why don't you start, then?"

I nodded. "Alright. I was worried you wouldn't show up, Tifa. And it was getting pretty cold out there. You know how chilly the mountain air can get at night…"

* * *

" _Sorry I'm late!"_

 _I looked to my right, and there she was. Tifa peeked out from behind the side of the broad wooden basin here at the top of the old water tower, the wind ruffling the edges of her pale blue dress. I was fourteen, my hair a lot longer back then and pulled into a ponytail as I sat one one side of the water tower's top ledge._ _Tifa walked out onto the ledge and sat down around the corner from me. Our legs dangled over the air, and above us, thousands of stars glittered in the night sky._

_She glanced at me. "You had something you wanted to tell me?"_

_I nodded, my gaze fixed on the horizon. "Yeah. When spring comes, I'm leaving town. Gonna head for Midgar."_

" _Seems like all the boys are leaving," Tifa sighed._

_She looked down at the ground about twenty feet or so below us. An old pickup truck was parked in its usual spot near the town gate, and the lights from the houses surrounding the main square shone brightly in the dark. Hers and mine were next door to each other, off to our left. Past all that, toward the back of town, the gloomy shadow of the creepy mansion everyone called Shinra Manor frowned over the rest of the village. Rising above it all in the distance were the Nibel Mountains, a towering, narrow line of jagged peaks that stabbed into the sky just a few miles away. I had always wondered what was on the other side, but no one in town seemed to know. I intended to find out someday, though._

_I got up and walked over to Tifa. "But I'm not like them."_

" _Why's that?" she asked._

" _Because I'm not just looking for a job," I explained. "I'm gonna join SOLDIER. I'm gonna be the best there is, just like Sephiroth!"_

 _Tifa's eyes widened. "Sephiroth?_ That _Sephiroth?"_

" _That's right," I said._

_There wasn't anyone in the world who didn't know who he was. The famous war hero and general. Sephiroth was a SOLDIER First Class, just what I wanted to be. The war with Wutai was still going on, but Shinra's forces, led by Sephiroth, had won battle after battle. He was unstoppable, and no one could stand against him. It was my dream to become a great warrior and hero just like him._

_Tifa went on. "Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER, though?"_

" _Yeah," I agreed, climbing up to the top of the water tower. "It's pretty tough. I probably won't be able to come back home for a while. Could be a long time. Years, even."_

" _Think you'll be in the newspapers?" she wondered._

" _I'll try," I smirked._

_Tifa looked up at me, smiling in the moonlight. "Well, then… in that case, how about you promise me something? If you get famous and I ever need you, you'll come running and save me, okay?"_

_I blinked. "Huh?"_

" _If I'm ever in trouble," she repeated, "my hero will rescue me. I'd like to know what that feels like, just once."_

" _I don't get it…" I scratched my head._

_Tifa rolled her eyes. "Come on, Cloud! Just promise me, okay?"_

_I shrugged and nodded. "Alright, Tifa. I promise."_

_Just then, a shooting star suddenly raced across the sky, and we both looked up in amazement. Tifa gasped in delight, and as the chilly winter wind swept around us, I climbed back down to the ledge and sat down in the spot I'd been in earlier. We sat there for a little while longer, watching the stars but not really saying anything. It was a night that seemed like it would never end, and I didn't want it to._

* * *

"Guess you remembered after all," Tifa smiled. She was still sitting next to me on the table. "The promise you made me."

I nodded. "Told you I did."

She went on. "So, will you keep it?"

"Things didn't work out the way I planned, Tif. I never got famous, and I'm not a hero."

"Oh, I don't think Jessie would agree," Tifa smirked.

I couldn't really argue with that. But even though Jessie thought of me that way, or seemed to, I didn't feel like it myself. I wasn't really sure why. And if I hadn't achieved what I had set out to do so long ago, how could I do what Tifa was asking? How could I fulfill her dream when I hadn't even fully accomplished my own?

I sighed. "Maybe. But I still can't do it."

"You still got your dream, though, right?" she prodded gently. "You got into SOLDIER, just like you always wanted. That's good enough for me, Cloud. So, please, would you keep your promise? I'm in a real bind here, you know. I need you. We all do."

She had a point, I had to admit. Even though I wasn't some famous war hero like Sephiroth, it didn't matter to her. Or to the others. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing, really. I had made her a promise. Her and Jessie both, actually. And I didn't go back on my word.

I thought of how I had told Jessie I'd save her as many times as she needed, that I'd come for her if the pillar ever fell. And I realized that I couldn't just walk away from her. Or Tifa. She'd asked for my help, and I couldn't refuse her now. I still didn't get this business about saving the planet, but even so, I had to stay.

I looked at her. "Seems a friend of mine's in a tight spot. I promised her a long time ago that I'd be there if she needed me. So I guess I can't very well back out now."

"Thank you!" she exclaimed. "Thank you so much!"

Just then, the elevator descended and rose up again, this time with Barret. It had taken him long enough to get here. As he stepped off the lift, I noticed Wedge had been right after all. Barret held a small, brown leather pouch firmly in his good hand, jingling with coins as he walked over to join us. It was about time.

He set it down next to me on the table. "Deal's a deal, merc. Here's your pay, with a lil' extra for helpin' out in the kitchen tonight. Jus' like we agreed. And thus concludes our business."

"Not quite," I picked up the bag and looked inside. It was all there, just as he'd said. Sixteen hundred altogether. "Wedge told me about the next mission. I'm up for doing it, but I'm gonna need a raise first. Let's say three thousand."

" _What!?"_ Barret exploded.

Tifa leaped to her feet and went to him. "Barret, relax! It'll be fine! Don't worry about it, okay? We really need the help."

"But I was savin' that money for Marlene!" he argued.

"Don't give me that!" she shot back. "You and I both know it would never come out of her college fund. Cloud would never accept it. We'll pay him out of the bar's profits just like always."

Barret glared at me. "Two thousand! Final offer!"

"Done," I agreed.

"Good, that's settled!" Tifa grinned. "I'll head back downstairs and tell everyone the good news!"

I stood up. "Alright, Tif. I'll be outside if you need me."

She waved as she stepped up to the lift. "Sure thing, Cloud. Getting a bit of fresh air?"

"As fresh as you can get down here," I said.

"I know what you mean," Tifa laughed. "Don't be too long, though. You don't want to miss dessert!"

I nodded and walked outside while Barret went to one of the other pinball machines and started playing. I hadn't realized he could, but he didn't seem to be having any trouble with it. He used the curving edge of his gun-arm's barrel to press the flipper button on the right side and reached over with his good hand to use the plunger.

It was dark in the slums as I stood on the front patio of the _Seventh_ _Heaven_ with my hands on the rail. It was late, after midnight, but even so, there was still a buzz of lights and activity out there, and the glow of the bar's outside lights was warm and inviting in the evening air. I took it all in and felt like maybe it wasn't such a bad place after all. Even if it _was_ hard to ignore that acrid mako smell sometimes.

I heard the door open behind me just a few minutes later but didn't turn around. I knew who it was. I'd been expecting her, actually. There was a quick thumping of booted footsteps across the wooden deck, and then I felt a pair of soft arms wrap around me, slim hands sliding to the front of my waist and linking together as her cheek came to rest lightly against the back of my shoulder. At her touch, I felt feathers swirling in my stomach as if they'd been caught in a breeze.

"I just heard," Jessie murmured. "Thanks, Cloud…"

I let go of the rail. "Had to stay. The bike's not done yet."

She squeezed me tightly and laughed. "That's true enough, but you know what? I think you just couldn't bear to leave a pretty face like this behind. Besides, who'd walk me home at night?"

"It's gotten pretty safe here lately," I reminded her.

"I know," Jessie said. "But that doesn't mean you have to stop doing it. I enjoy it, and I know you do, too. Even if you'll never admit it. To be honest with you, it's my favorite part of the day."

I blinked. "Really?"

She giggled. "Sure is! But anyway, how about we head back inside? Tifa's breaking out the ice cream, and I feel like celebrating! And there's no better way than with a few scoops of banana raspberry covered with hot fudge and a cherry on top!"

"Raspberry?" I glanced over my shoulder at her. "How original."

"Well, can you blame me? It _is_ my name, after all. Sort of. But it's so good! Trust me! Give it a try, okay?"

I shrugged. "Sure. Lead the way, Jessie."

She let go, and I turned around to see her waving at me, a smile on her face as she stood there in the glow of the porch lights. As I followed her to the door, I couldn't deny I was glad I'd chosen to stay. It wouldn't have been the same without her. And if by sticking around it made Tifa happy, too, then I didn't mind.

Jessie pushed open the doors, and we went inside. The others were all in there now, and Tifa had set out a half dozen tubs of ice cream on the bar. Wedge's bowl was practically overflowing, and he grinned at us as we went over to get ours. He and Biggs were already sitting down at one of the tables while Barret was with Marlene at the bar getting their dessert. He lifted a spoon when he saw us.

"'Bout time you two got here," he said. "You're up."

"So what'll it be, guys?" Tifa asked.

Jessie turned to me and smirked. "You still trust me, Cloud?"

I nodded. "Implicitly."

"Alright!" she nodded, then looked at Tifa. "Two of my usual, Tifa. One for me and one for Cloud. He's feeling adventurous tonight, if you know what I mean."

Tifa chuckled. "Really, now? That's a switch. I hope he knows what he's getting himself into."

With her help, we got our ice cream, topped it, and sat down. After getting herself some as well—two scoops of chocolate covered with hot fudge and sprinkles—Tifa came over and joined us. Jessie looked at me expectantly, a sly grin on her face as she dug her spoon into her dessert and waited for me to do the same.

"Here goes…" I said, taking a bite.

"Well?" Tifa asked, her wine-colored eyes twinkling.

It had a sweet, tart flavor, no doubt from the raspberries, but it was good nonetheless and added a little punch to the banana and fudge. No wonder Jessie loved it. She had already started on her own but was still watching me intently, no doubt wanting to know what I thought of her favorite ice cream. She wouldn't be disappointed.

"Not bad," I answered. "Fruity."

Jessie winked and pointed her spoon at me. "See? I know what I'm talking about, don't I?"

I nodded. "Yeah, Jessie. Sure do."

"I knew it! Two for two, baby! Am I good or what?"

"Two for two?" Tifa wondered.

Jessie took another bite of her ice cream. "Yep! I introduced Cloud to the Midgar Special a while back, the day after we first met. He loved it! Didn't you, Cloud?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "It was good."

Tifa smiled. "I get it now. It's been too long since you've made it for the rest of us, though, Jessie."

"Guess I'll have to fix that, then," she said.

"Hear, hear!" Biggs called from the table across from us.

Wedge's face lit up like a beacon. "Yeah! Midgar Special tomorrow night! How 'bout it, Jessie?"

"Looks like we're all having pizza!" she laughed.

"Yeah!" Biggs and Wedge cheered.

Barret looked up from where he and Marlene had been eating their dessert at a third table. "Sounds like a plan, guys. An' here's another for ya. Go on an' take tomorrow off to get some R & R. Y'all earned it. Day after that, we'll start preppin' for the next mission."

Once everyone had finished their ice cream, Tifa got started on the cleanup. Biggs sprang right up to help her, clearing things off while she washed. Better him than me, I supposed. Too bad he hadn't been there to take my place earlier, but Barret had called him and the others down to the basement for the meeting.

Biggs moved so fast that Jessie and Wedge barely even had time to carry their own bowls over, let alone help with anything else. Jessie sat back down at our table, giggling to herself as Biggs and Tifa worked on the dishes together. Wedge joined us a moment later, chuckling as if he were enjoying a private joke. Had I missed something?

"What's so funny?" I asked.

Jessie beckoned to me and Wedge, and we leaned in to hear her as she whispered to us. "Biggs has the hots for Tifa!"

I stared at her. "He does?"

"Him and half the guys in Sector 7," Wedge quipped.

That I didn't doubt. Men of all sorts would hit on her all time when the bar was open and the crowds were here. Tifa handled it all with her typical grace and charm, though, deflating their advances with a smile and a firm but polite refusal. Most guys seemed to know better than to press her about it, and those that didn't got hauled out by Barret before they could get very far.

I looked at Biggs, noticing then how his eyes wandered over to Tifa every so often as they worked. She didn't seem to have noticed, though, her attention almost totally focused on the dishes. She and Biggs talked as they worked, sharing an occasional smile, and when they were done, he took a rag and started wiping down the bar for her, urging her to go sit down and relax for a while.

I didn't know Biggs too well, at least not yet, so I wasn't sure how I felt yet about his interest in Tifa. I'd had a little crush on her as kid, but that had been a long time ago. And anyway, it wasn't up to me. Tifa was more than capable of taking care of herself, so even if on the off chance Biggs did try anything funny, she'd be able to handle it. Of course, if he ever did, I'd still thrash him myself.

"He's liked her for a long time," Jessie said. "Though he'll deny it if you ever ask. He's a little embarrassed about it."

I glanced at her. "Does she know?"

Jessie shook her head. "Nope. Doesn't have a clue."

"The funny thing is," Wedge went on, "Tifa's usually pretty good at picking up on this stuff. Kinda makes you wonder why it's so different with him, though, huh?"

Tifa came and sat down with us a moment later, smirking at Biggs over her shoulder. "Guess I've been relieved."

"Damn right," he said. "You worked your ass off today."

"So what else is new?" she teased.

Biggs finished wiping the bar and grabbed a broom. "True enough. But you need a break, too. I got this."

While he worked, Tifa chatted with Jessie and Wedge for a bit until Barret came over with Marlene in his arms. She'd fallen asleep and was clinging to him, and after Tifa and the others had whispered goodnight to her, he took her upstairs to put her to bed.

Jessie, Wedge, and I took that as our cue that it was time to go. We all got up, said our goodbyes for the night, and headed out as Tifa went upstairs to bed while Biggs started turning the chairs over and putting them up on the tables for her. I figured he'd lock up for the night when he left, but I had a spare key Tifa had given me after I'd first come here, so getting back in later wouldn't be a problem.

Jessie kept giggling to herself as we went along, and when we came up to a side street intersecting the main road, she beckoned to me, and I followed her and Wedge. Looked like we were seeing him home, too. His place was on another corner ahead of us where the street turned to the left, and in front of it meowed three cats.

"Hi, guys!" Wedge picked them up. "Miss me?"

"Aren't they cute?" Jessie grinned. She walked over to Wedge, took one of the cats, and started petting it.

I blinked. "Uh…"

"That's Mr. Smalls," Wedge pointed out.

"Say hi, Cloud!" Jessie came right up to me, smirking from behind the cat she just about thrust in my face.

I stepped back, my arms up. "Whoa! Um, hi…"

The calico meowed louder, and she drew it back into her arms and cuddled him, gently stroking his black and brown fur until he'd calmed down and begun to purr. Jessie went on petting him a little longer, then laughed and set him back on the ground.

She knelt next to the cat. "Don't worry, Mr. Smalls. Cloud's a really nice guy, even if it doesn't always seem that way. You know something? Deep down, he's just a great big softie."

"Sure is!" Wedge agreed, talking to his other cats.

"Oh, and did I also mention that he's really cute?" Jessie whispered to Mr. Smalls, though she did it loud enough that I could easily hear it. "He is _such_ a dream!"

I looked at her as she stood up. "You, uh… ready to go?"

She winked. "Can't wait to have me all to yourself, SOLDIER boy?"

"I…" I stammered, looking away.

Wedge stood up, all three cats in hand now. "Thanks for seeing me home, guys. Have fun!"

Jessie waved at him. "You bet! Night, Wedge!"

Nodding to him, I followed Jessie back the way we had come until we reached the main road. As soon as we were alone, she scooted up to me and slid her arm back through mine again. I sighed but decided not to make an issue out of it. She was happy, and I supposed I liked seeing her that way. Still, I was glad no one saw us.

Or I thought no one did. But as we walked, I suddenly heard a soft rustle of movement behind us and caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye. I let go of Jessie and whirled around, but nobody was there. Had someone been following us? I scanned the area, letting my hand drift up to Buster's hilt, but still there was nothing. Was I just hearing things? Or had someone been there?

"What is it?" Jessie asked.

I shook my head. "Dunno. Thought I saw something."

Whoever had been trailing after us could've ducked behind one of the nearby buildings. There were lots of dark corners and hiding places out here, and the streetlamps didn't light up everything. Slowly, I let go of Buster and dropped my arm down, though I kept my eyes firmly on our surroundings. Jessie walked alongside me, as watchful as I was, but we didn't see anyone, and gradually we both relaxed. I was hardly even aware of it when she slipped her arm through mine again as we headed down the road to her house.


	17. SIXTEEN

## SIXTEEN

When we got to Jessie's house a few minutes later, she let go of me, walked a few steps toward her door, and turned around. After tugging a little on both of her gloves, she brushed herself off, adjusted her belt, straightened her hair, and spread her arms out wide. She stood there in front of me, bouncing on her toes.

"C'mon, Cloud!" she grinned. "What're you waiting for?"

I stared at her. "Wha…?"

Jessie laughed. "Gimme a hug, one that's good and tight. Make me feel alive! How 'bout it?"

"I'm not the affectionate type," I said.

"You've done it before," she reminded me. "Remember?"

"Only because you did it first," I pointed out. "You haven't been shy about it, either."

Jessie let her arms drop to her sides. "So that's all it was?"

I sighed. "That's not what I meant…"

"It's alright," she turned around, her back to me. "Maybe it _was_ too much, like I said back at the train station. I guess I do get carried away sometimes. It's just… I thought that, beneath that cool, tough guy shell you wear, that you liked the attention. But… I guess I was wrong. And I don't want to do anything that's unwelcome or unwanted. So, I… I'm sorry, Cloud. I really am…"

I gazed at her, my gut twisting itself into knots at the thought that I had hurt her. I hadn't wanted that, not at all. I'd never been good at this sort of thing, talking about my feelings and those of others. But I liked Jessie, maybe more than I wanted to admit. I liked having her close. I'd just never known how to tell her. But I realized I wanted her to know. I understood that now, clear as day.

"Jessica…" I said.

She slowly faced me again, looking up at me in wonder as I moved closer to her. My heart was pounding in my chest as I took hold of her with both hands, resting them lightly on her shoulders. Jessie looked as though a light breeze could've tipped her over. Swallowing hard, I tried to bring the feathers swirling around in my stomach under control as I gently pulled her close, wrapped my arms around her, and hugged her tight just like she'd wanted me to.

Jessie returned the favor, embracing me just as tightly, her head on my shoulder. We stood like that for a while, and I found I wasn't in any hurry to let go. Neither was she, I was sure. My heart kept racing as the endless moments went on, and I thought I could feel hers, too, beating every bit as fast as mine.

"Wow…" she breathed. "Thank you…"

I nodded. "Sure. And like I said, it… it's not that I don't like… what you do. It's just that I'm not used to it. It… it's not, uh… unwelcome. At all. Sorry if I made you think it was."

Jessie smiled up at me. "It's okay, Cloud. I'm so happy you feel that way. And I'm really glad you decided to stay with us. Just couldn't resist this little beauty, could you?"

"Apparently not," I smirked.

"Told ya! Anyway, why don't you come inside for a minute? There's something I want to give you."

A gift? I hadn't expected that. "What is it?"

Jessie giggled as she let go of me. "You'll see! C'mon! Oh, gotta find something to put my flower in, too."

She opened her door, and I followed her inside. After switching the light on, she rummaged through her little kitchen until she found a tall plastic cup with most of whatever image had been on it worn away. She filled it with some water from the sink, then took it into the living area and set it on top of the dresser. With a little smile, Jessie gently slid the flower out from where she'd tucked it behind her armor strap, brought it up to her nose, and smelled it for a minute before putting it carefully inside her makeshift vase.

"There!" Jessie said. "It's not some nice glass piece, but it'll do. You can't be picky down here in the slums. Gotta work with what you've got and make do with the rest. It's one of the things I've learned in my time down here. Lessons for living on the ground floor."

"Sounds like a book title," I said.

She laughed. "It does, doesn't it? Maybe I should write it sometime. But I promised my hero a gift, so…"

Pulling open the top drawer of her dresser, Jessie sorted through a collection of papers, scattered electronics parts, pens, pencils, assorted small tools, and what looked like miniature posters of some kind. They had an illustration on the front, but I couldn't make it out at first. Jessie took one out along with a pen and closed the drawer.

"What's that?" I asked.

"A surprise," she winked. "Still have a few of these left after all these years, not that very many people down here would recognize me now. I just like to think of them as mementos."

I didn't understand at first, but then I saw the picture on the poster when Jessie laid it flat on the table by the bed. It was a perfect replica of the LOVELESS poster I'd seen in Sector 8, complete with her picture in it the way she'd looked back then. It wasn't much bigger than a normal sheet of paper, but it had been printed on a coated, high-quality stock, probably for use as a flyer. Jessie signed it with a flourish.

She held it out to me with a smile. "Here you are! Promised you an autograph, remember?"

"Yeah," I took it. "Thanks, Jessie."

"No problem! Been a long time since I've given any of these babies away. Used to do it a lot when I was still acting."

I understood. "You miss it?"

"Yeah, sometimes," she admitted. "It was fun, you know? Made me into the bubbly, energetic girl I am today. But I like where I'm at now. It might not be as fancy as my old life, but it's just as full and just as good, if not better. I've got my friends, a good job, a good cause, a home, and a really cute guy to talk to. So I'm happy."

"Good," I said. Then I read her signature. "Jessie Jae?"

She nodded. "My stage name. Had to come up with one after I left Shinra, like I told you on the train."

"Right. Well, uh… glad things worked out for you."

"Thanks!" Jessie beamed.

Giving her a faint little smile in return, I started to make my way to the door. It was late now, well after midnight. Time to head back to the bar and get some sleep. But when I reached into my pocket on my way out, I couldn't find my spare key. I dug around, as far as I could go, but it wasn't there. Where was it? I'd had it on me earlier, I was sure. Where had it gone? Had I left it somewhere?

Jessie noticed my confusion. "Something wrong?"

"Can't find the extra key Tifa gave me," I explained. Then I checked the other pocket. No dice. "Damn. It's not there, either. Could've sworn it was. I always keep it with me."

"Did you leave it at the bar?" Jessie asked.

I shrugged. "Guess I might've. Have you got one?"

She shook her head. "Sorry, no. Never thought to ask Tifa if I could have a spare. Didn't think I'd need it."

"It's okay. The inn's still open, right?"

"Yeah, but it's always full by now unless you get a room early in the day. Not that I've ever stayed there myself, mind you. No need. But I've got friends who have, and I know a lot of people here. The owner's one of my customers, too. Remember?"

I did. "Yeah. Looks like that's out, then."

Jessie flashed me a grin. "You know, you could always curl up here tonight, Cloud. If you don't mind sleeping on the floor, that is. It might not be a big space, but it's cozy."

"Are… are you sure?" I stammered. "M-Maybe I oughta go back to Wedge's place and see if he has room…"

"Awww, you don't wanna stay with me?" she teased.

I swallowed. "It's not that. Just don't want to make things awkward. You're a, um… girl, you know."

Jessie laid a hand on my arm. "It'll be fine, Cloud."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Positive," she assured me. Then she winked and held up her index finger. "Just don't try any funny business or I'll kick your ass inside out and upside down, SOLDIER boy."

My eyes widened. "N-No, I'd never—!"

She laughed. "Relax, Cloud. I'm just messin' with ya."

"Oh…" I blinked. "Uh, right…"

"I know you'd never try to take advantage of me," Jessie gently took my hand, her voice quieter now. "Like I said in the reactor, I trust you. With my life. I never would have offered to let you stay here tonight if I didn't. I'm safe with you, Cloud. I know it."

I relaxed. "Thanks. And you are. Safe, I mean. With me."

She giggled. "A hero _and_ a gentleman! I just _love_ that combination in a guy. You're really quite a catch!"

"I am?" I wondered.

"Oh, yeah," Jessie said. "The best."

Then she gave my hand a gentle squeeze, went back to her dresser, took out a set of nightclothes, and went inside the bathroom to change. While she was in there, I leaned Buster against the wall, sat down, and took off my boots and gloves. I was just putting them next to my sword when Jessie came back out, her armor and other gear in her hands. She put everything on the table, then neatly folded her daytime clothes one at a time before stacking them up and putting her gear on top of them. Giving me a coy little smile, she placed her boots and gloves right next to mine, then went and plopped down on her bed.

"There's extra blankets and sheets in the closet," Jessie pointed to a set of shelves built into the wall next to her little kitchen. "Well, it's not exactly a closet, but you get the idea."

I went over, took the extra linens, and laid them down on the other side of the bed, the one across from her little kitchen area. Although it wasn't a large space, it was more than big enough for me. Out of habit, I started to reach for my shirt to take it off, then froze when I saw Jessie and remembered where I was.

"Oh, don't mind me," she smirked.

I let go of my shirt. "Nevermind. Wasn't thinking."

Jessie faked a pout. "Aw, you're no fun! Thought I was gonna have a good show tonight."

"Nope," I said. "Got a pillow?"

She grinned, whipping one right at me. "Catch!"

I did and set it in place. Then I laid down and watched as Jessie got up to switch off the lights. She was wearing pajama bottoms and a gray short-sleeved T-shirt with her long auburn hair hanging loose over her shoulders and down her back. My eyes drifted up almost on their own to her curves, which were much more defined and shapely without her armor. Tomboy or not, Jessie was still a beautiful woman, and the more I looked at her and spent time with her, the more I saw it.

After killing the lights, she slipped back into her bed, pulled up the blankets, and rolled over onto her side. She propped her head up using her hand and elbow and smiled down at me. I gazed up at her, not sure what to say, my breath somehow gone at the sight of her there. Though it was dark, my eyes adjusted to it quickly enough, and I could still see Jessie even in the gloom as she lay there above me.

"Need me to tuck you in?" she teased.

"Uh, no…" I pulled my own blankets up. "Not tonight."

Jessie chuckled, blew me a kiss, and rolled onto her back. "Another time, then. Nighty night!"

As I lay there, I called to her. "Jessie?"

"Hmm?" she said.

"Thanks," I told her. "For letting me stay here tonight."

Jessie turned back to look at me. "You're welcome, Cloud. I'd never leave you out in the cold."

"It's not cold outside," I blinked, confused.

"Figure of speech," she laughed, her eyes dancing. "Oh, you are just _so_ adorable, you know that?"

I hadn't, actually. "Uh, okay… if you say so."

Jessie winked. "You bet I do! Anyway, sweet dreams!"

Still smiling, she rolled away again, and only minutes later, she was asleep, the sound of her breathing soft and regular. I turned on my side and just laid there for a while on my makeshift bed, listening to her as I thought about her and about all that had happened today. Eventually, I found myself drifting off into a troubled sleep.

* * *

_Fire was everywhere._

_I looked around, not sure at first where I was. Fear gripped my heart as I stood on a concrete floor choked with rubble and broken iron beams, twisted and scorched by some terrible explosion. As I stared at the flames burning all around the area, I realized there weren't any walls, only a few scattered columns supporting the blackened ceiling. I was high above the slums, and when I realized that, I knew where I was._

_Near the top of the Sector 7 pillar._

_It was then that I noticed the smoking, twisted wreckage of a Shinra chopper strewn all about one side of the area, fire still eating at what was left of its charred carcass. The rotors were bent and broken, jagged pieces of them lying on the floor nearby. As I drew closer to the ruined chopper, my heart nearly stopped and my eyes widened._

_Half-buried by the debris was Jessie._

_She lay on her side, covered in_ _rubble, metal beams, pieces of broken_ _glass, and fragments of the chopper's hull. One of the rotors_ _had snapped off and had embedded itself into her lower back below the bottom edge of her armor, slicing all the way through her stomach, and shrapnel had cut her in a dozen places. A shard of it was buried in her right thigh. She_ _had also been shot several times in the arm and shoulder. Blood pooled under her in a steadily widening puddle as she lay so still._

" _Jessie!" I ran to her._

_Her eyes fluttered open. "There you are_ _…_ _handsome. I knew… you'd show up. A little fall_ _…_ _wasn't gonna… do you in._ _"_

_I threw rubble and debris off of her as fast as I could and tried not to think about how badly she was hurt. "Just hold on! I'm getting you outta here. You're gonna be alright!"_

" _No, Cloud_ _…_ _the curtain's… about to fall. But… seeing you again… one last time… makes it easier. Makes me… happy…_ _"_

" _Like hell it's your last!" I insisted. "I won't let you die!"_

_Sorrow filled Jessie's eyes as I carefully pulled the rotor from her and picked her up in my arms. "It's okay, Cloud. It's okay. All the…_ _things I've done… my bombs… my_ _work at Shinra… they_ _took… so many lives. It's time for me to reap… what I've sown…_ _"_

_How could she say that? "No! It's not your fault!"_

_I carried her over to one of the nearby columns and set her down as gently as I could, cradling her in my arms as I sat there with her. She was burnt, bruised, bleeding, and covered with ash, dust,_ _and dirt. Jessie held her abdomen with one hand, wincing in pain, but we both knew it would never be enough to staunch the flow of blood. It was leaking out of her as if it were coming from a faucet. And there was surely more flowing inside her, internal bleeding I couldn't stop, either._

_Jessie must've been shot just as she threw a raspberry at the chopper, causing it to go off early. When it had exploded, it had thrown her to the floor as the flames had blazed across her skin._ _As wounded as she'd been, she hadn't been able to escape, and the helicopter had crashed right onto her, blowing apart and crushing her underneath its ruined bulk as_ _pieces of it had flown into her body in the process._

" _My hero…" Jessie smiled. "You kept… your promise."_

_I gazed at her. "I told you I'd come for you. And_ _I'm gonna save you, Jessie._ _So stay with me, alright?"_

_But I knew, deep down, that it wasn't possible. That she was dying. I hated it, hated even forming the words in my mind. I could feel her body starting to grow cool, though, the warmth slowly fading away and taking her life with it. And there was nothing I could do. I'd never felt so helpless before. I didn't… I didn't_ _want to lose her. If only I'd gotten here sooner. If only I'd been faster. But now it was too late._

_Slowly and painfully, Jessie_ _lifted her wounded arm and touched my cheek. "I wish… I could. More than… anything…"_

" _Jessica…" I put my hand over hers._

" _But I can't…" she murmured, her breathing getting shallower by the second._ _"_ _As much as… I want to. Still… having you… here with me… at the end… makes it… a little easier. And I… I've gotta admit… there's no place… I'd rather die… than in your… loving arms."_

_My eyes were locked on hers. "I'm not gonna forget you."_

_Jessie smiled. "Looks like I get to play… the tragic heroine… one last time. But you… need to get going. Just be sure to… kick Shinra's ass… for me… okay? Raise some hell… up there…_ _"_

_I nodded. "Count on it."_

" _Thank you… Cloud. It's… been fun… hasn't… it…?"_

_As Jessie whispered the last word, her voice trailed away into a long, soft breath. No more followed it. Her hand started to slide away from my face, but I held it there, not wanting to let it go. Not wanting to let_ her _go. I stared at her in shock and disbelief as her head drooped to one side and her eyes, those beautiful brown eyes, closed forever._

_Jessie was dead._

" _It was, Jessie," I murmured, answering her question even though she couldn't hear me anymore. "It was. You made it fun."_

_For a moment, I couldn't move. I just sat there with her, my eyes wet and closed as tears slid down my cheeks. She was gone. Her laughter, her smile, her touch… I'd never experience them again._ _Nothing mattered to me then but Jessie. I thought of all the times_ _that we'd shared together, all the memories we'd built in the last two months._

_Some_ _of them were things we hadn't even done yet, not in the waking world, but I could remember them here as if we had. Not entirely, but in bits and pieces, images in my mind. I saw a fierce battle outside a Shinra warehouse, Jessie and I fighting side by side as we'd so often done before. Parachuting off the plate, Jessie strapped in front of me, her slender arms and legs stretched out to either side_ _as we floated to the slums. A kiss that made my heart fly higher than we were._

_I saw us finish the Hardy and ride it through the slums, Jessie behind me, shouting in excitement, her hair free and loose as it flew behind her. Our picnic at the secret place. It was our first real date. Our second night together, complete with fireworks. We both got up to some funny business this time. With each other, if you know what I mean._

_Jessie's breakdown inside the Sector 4 underplate. How I'd held her as she had cried, overcome with guilt about the deaths she'd caused with the Reactor 1 bombing and Shinra's misuse of her weapon designs. Charging back to the slums on the Hardy, fighting our way through the Corkscrew Tunnel the night before the Reactor 5 mission. The memories swept over me, and I didn't want to let her go. If I did, it would make the fact of her death real. Terribly, irrevocably real._

_But I had to. I opened my eyes, gently set Jessie on the floor with her back against the column, and placed her hands together in front of her. I held them for a moment or two, then reluctantly let go. Before I stood up, I carefully untied her red headband and took it. I clenched my hand into a fist as I got to my feet, fury filling my blood._

" _You can't save her," a cold, sinister voice taunted._

_I knew exactly who it belonged to before I even turned around. "Like hell I can't! You don't know a damn thing!"_

_A long, flowing black cloak, a thing of hardened leather, buckles, and polished metal shoulder guards._ _Silver hair, hanging well past his hips. A pair of cold, pale green eyes with slitted pupils. Held in one gloved hand, a flawless, shining katana six feet long, resonating with every movement. My rage became a firestorm when I saw him standing there, a menacing figure amidst the blasted, burning ruins of the tower._

_Sephiroth pointed at me. "Oh, but I do. You can save no one, Cloud. Not your mother, not your village, and not this girl. Her fate is sealed. As is yours. There is only one thing you can do._ _"_

" _And what's that?" I demanded._

" _Run away, Cloud. Live. Let the hate drive you. Let it be your guide, your compass. Live, and cling to it."_

_I snarled, drawing Buster in a single fluid motion, and charged right at him. Anger was all I knew as I swept my sword across, images of what he'd done to me flashing through my mind. Nibelheim in flames, burning in the night. My mom, buried in the broken debris of our house, a red slit of blood in her chest marking Sephiroth's brutality where he had run her through. The smoke, stinging my eyes then as it did now in the tower. All I wanted was to cut him down and destroy him._

_But just as I was about to hit Sephiroth, he vanished, and Buster cut through nothing but air. His laughter echoed all around me as everything went dark and the pillar, Jessie's headband, and her body all faded away. Blackness was all that was left, and it was almost merciful next to what I had just experienced as I flew toward wakefulness._

* * *

My eyes snapped open. "Jessie!"

At first, I didn't have any idea where I was. The dream had been so strong that it took me a few moments to realize I was awake. But as my eyes adjusted to the gloom, I was able to see the familiar surroundings of Jessie's house. My heart was pounding with fear, loss, and anger, and my hand was still clenched into a fist. It wasn't until I heard Jessie's soft breathing from above me that I finally relaxed.

When I had calmed down, I stood up, needing to see her, to know she was really alright. I sat quietly on the edge of the bed and looked at her, memories of the dream filling my mind. How hurt she was. How I had watched her die. The pain my heart as I'd held her in my arms and had felt her slipping away. Jessie's death, her hand still on my cheek. I'd have given anything to change that. It had been a dream, but it had also been so vivid, so real, as if I'd actually been there.

As much as I wanted to just dismiss it all as a nightmare, I couldn't. Sephiroth's words lingered in my mind. He had claimed that I wouldn't be able to save anyone. That Jessie was destined to die in the pillar. But he himself was dead, had been for years. Wasn't he? But then, why had he shown up in my dream like that? If he _was_ alive, I was going to find him, sooner or later. I had to settle the score.

But I also didn't want to lose Jessie. And if there was any chance at all that what I'd seen in the dream might actually happen, I had to find a way to stop it. She lay on her side, sleeping peacefully, one hand next to her on the bed while the other was under her pillow. The top edge of her blanket had slid down a little below her shoulders during the night, so I reached over and carefully pulled it back up for her, tucking it into place so she'd be covered and stay warm.

She stirred a little. "Everything okay, Cloud?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Just woke up for a minute, that's all. It happens. Nothing for you to worry about."

"You need anything?" Jessie yawned.

I shook my head, just glad to hear her voice. "No. I'm fine, thanks. Go back to sleep, Jessie. I'll watch over you."

She gazed fondly at me. "Keeping me safe and sound?"

"Always," I whispered, putting my hand over hers, the touch of her skin making mine tingle. "So get some rest."

"Sure thing," she smiled. "Guess I'll be your sleeping beauty."

My stomach fluttered as our fingers brushed up against each other. After giving my hand a gentle squeeze, Jessie pulled it closer to her and let her eyes slide closed. Neither of us let go as she lay there, and before long, she had fallen asleep again. I held onto her for a while, needing to know she was alive, to feel it. And as I sat there and watched her sleep, I gently reached up with my other hand, pushed a few errant strands of hair from her face, and made a promise to us both.

"Jessie…" I murmured, knowing she couldn't hear me. "Guess it's a bit easier for me to say this now. Not sure I could if you were awake. It's just that… I'm not good at this sort of thing. But… I want to tell you… that I care about you. Took me a while to see it, but I do."

"One of the reasons I decided to stay, Jessie… it was you. Before we went on the Reactor 1 mission, you told me that you'd miss me if I left. What I've never told you is that… I would have missed you, too. When I first took on the job of protecting you, I thought I was just doing Tifa a favor. It was supposed to be just another job."

"She even offered to pay me for it," I continued. "Turned her down, though. Like I said, I was doing her a favor. I knew it would upset her if anything ever happened to you. That's all it was, Jessie. At least, at first. But then, somewhere along the line… keeping you safe, it… it became important to me. And… so did you."

I sighed and went on. "Tonight, I… dreamed that I lost you, Jessie. And it scared the hell outta me. I was there, I… I saw it all happen. You were in my arms when… when you died. It was so real, I could feel the weight of… of your body. The heat of the flames, the way the smoke in the air stung my eyes. Like I was really there."

"Jessie… I don't think it was just a nightmare. I don't know what it was. But what I saw… I can't ignore it. And if there's any chance that it might really happen, I'm gonna do everything I can to stop it. I'll find a way. I'll save you, Jessie. That's a promise."

When I was finished, I just gazed at her for a while, determined to change what I'd seen in the dream. It had been so real. The blazing heat of the fire, the acrid sting of the smoke in my eyes. The heavy weight of the rubble and debris I'd thrown off of Jessie's broken body. Her blood, wet on my gloves as I had carried her. Her fingers resting lightly on my cheek even as the life had left her.

I let my hand drift down to her own cheek, stroking it gently. I had to save her. I _would_ save her. I wasn't sure how, but I knew there had to be a way. And I was going to find it, whatever it took. After a moment, I let go of her and sat on the floor with my back to the bed, thinking of the dream, and my hand clenched into a fist again.

_I'll save you, Jessie. I promise._


	18. SEVENTEEN

## SEVENTEEN

I woke up the next morning to the savory, mouth-watering aromas of food being cooked and opened my eyes to see Jessie standing in her little kitchen corner in front of the stove. She was holding a round pan steady on one of the burners while stirring whatever was inside it with a long metal spatula.

"Morning, Cloud," she winked. "How do you like your eggs?"

I shrugged. "I dunno, Jessie. Surprise me."

Slowly, I got up from where I'd fallen asleep sitting with my back to the bed. I had stayed awake as long as I could, keeping Jessie company as she slept, watching the shadows, though I'd been sure nothing would threaten her in here. But after that terrible dream, I had needed to find something I could do for her, even if it wasn't really needed, to remind myself that she was alive and safe. And I was going to make damn sure that she stayed that way.

Jessie was still in her nightclothes as she worked on breakfast. "Ha! You might regret that."

"Not likely," I said, coming over to join her.

"Well, in that case, can you get the table ready? The dishes are over in that cabinet behind ya."

I nodded. "Sure. Smells good."

"Thanks, Cloud!" Jessie beamed. "You'll love it!"

"Didn't have to go to all this trouble," I said, opening the cabinet. I took out the dishes.

She motioned for me to put the plates on the counter. "I know. But you've done so much for me. So I just wanted to do something for you in return. Besides, a good hostess always takes care of her guest. And I haven't cooked for you since that night I made you the Midgar Special. I've… kind of missed it."

I set the plates down. "Well… thanks."

"No problem!" she laughed. "Sure hope you brought your appetite! Scrambled eggs, bacon, and my famous blueberry pancakes. No better way for us to start the day!"

"Really went all out, didn't you?" I said.

She put her spatula aside, picked up a bowl and whisk, and started stirring, giggling the whole time. "Well, you know what they say about getting to a man's heart. So, how am I doing?"

I went over and set the table. "Pretty good so far."

"Glad to hear it!" Jessie smiled. "I'll just have to keep it up, then. In the meantime, I'm gonna head over the bar when we're done here. Got a message from Tifa this morning."

"What'd she say?" I asked.

Jessie poured the batter onto the griddle she'd put across two other burners. "Biggs found your key last night and left it on the bar for her along with a note before he went home. Turns out you were right after all, Cloud. It was on the floor. You must've dropped it without realizing it. Sure worked out for me, though!"

It had for me, too. "I'll bet. I've got something I'm gonna check on myself, so I'll pick it up later."

"Mysterious errand, huh?" she teased. "Gonna let me in on it?"

"Nope," I told her.

It was an idea that had slowly formed in my mind ever since I had woken up this morning. Something for Jessie, something I wanted her to have. I knew what I wanted to get her, I just hoped I could find one. I wasn't sure where to look for one, though, so I figured it might take a while. I'd never really been into this sort of thing, you understand. Still, I was confident I'd know it when I saw it.

Jessie chuckled. "Ooh, a surprise! I like surprises. Well, most of the time, anyway. Especially if they're for me."

"Good," I said. "Thought as much."

"Guess this means I'll have to wait in breathless anticipation for the big reveal! But in the meantime, the food's ready, so grab yourself some juice and have a seat."

I did, and after Jessie joined me at the table, we dug in. It was, as I'd expected, very good. When we were finished, I decided to surprise her. Taking a cue from Biggs, I handled the washing up and made sure that Jessie got her chance to relax. She looked on in fond amusement while I worked on the dishes. I tried to remember how I'd seen Tifa do them last night, and I guess I managed to clean them well enough. Doing the dishes wasn't really my thing, but I supposed I didn't mind if it was for her. And I started to understand why Biggs did it for Tifa.

Jessie grinned as she sat back on her bed. "Well, look at the hardass ex-SOLDIER mercenary being all domestic."

"Uh, yeah…" I said. "Just don't tell the others."

"Not a word," she promised, holding up her index finger.

After I'd finished cleaning up, Jessie took her daytime clothes from where she'd left them on the bed during breakfast, skipped off into the bathroom, and got changed. By the time she came back out, I'd already put my boots and gloves on and was just about ready to go. She picked up her belt, fastened it on, and then got her own boots and gloves on as well before starting to buckle on her breastplate.

"Need a hand?" I asked.

Jessie smiled. "Sure, if you want to."

She turned around, lifted her hair out of the way, and I clicked the buckles on the back of her shoulder straps firmly in place for her. After she had finished with the rest of the buckles and had put her pauldrons on her shoulders, she pulled her hair back into its typical high ponytail before picking up her red headband. I tied it for her as she held onto it, making the knot above and behind her ear nice and tight.

"All set?" I said.

Jessie gazed warmly at me. "Yeah. Thanks, Cloud."

Before I knew it, she had her arms around me, her head resting on my shoulder. I held her for a while, one hand reaching up to stroke her hair. I guess Jessie must've flirted with me one too many times, because it wasn't quite as hard for me to return her affection anymore as it used to be. Or maybe it was an aftereffect of last night's dream. Either way, I liked having her there in my arms, being with her. It felt good, but even more than that, it felt _right._ I could've stayed with Jessie all day like this and I wouldn't have complained.

I gazed softly at her. "What's this for?"

"No reason," Jessie murmured, holding onto me for just a moment longer before letting go. "I just… wanted to be close to you."

I didn't doubt that, but I could tell from how tightly Jessie clung to me and how gently she spoke that there was more, something she'd left unsaid. But I hadn't missed the tenderness in her gaze. I'd seen it there all morning, now that I thought about it. I didn't know what it was she wasn't telling me, but I didn't think it was anything to worry about. She was happy, and that was enough for me.

Sliding Buster onto on my back, I followed Jessie as she opened the door and headed outside. After locking it behind us, she put the key in her pocket and stretched her arms out above her as if she was taking in the light of the new day, her fingers linking together as she went up on her toes. Then she relaxed and brought herself back down to a normal standing position as she flashed me a grin.

"I just love mornings, don't you?" Jessie asked.

I shrugged. "They're okay."

She gave my arm a playful punch. "Bet you liked this one, though. It's not the way you usually wake up, I'm sure."

"It's been good so far," I admitted.

"Mine, too," she winked. "Must be my special guest."

I smirked. "I had a good hostess."

Jessie giggled. "Awww, thanks! I aim to please! So, this mean Jessie Rasberry's Bed & Breakfast is Cloud-approved?"

"Yup," I answered. "Five stars."

"Awesome!" she laughed, her hands on her hips. "Anyway, as much as I'd love to stay and chat with ya, I told Tifa I'd stop by the bar and see her. Girl talk, you know."

I did. "Sure. Tell her I'll be there later."

"Will do, Cloud. See ya! Can't wait for my surprise!"

Jessie gave me another quick hug, then waved at me and walked off down the road to the _Seventh Heaven._ I watched her move away until I couldn't see her anymore, then headed down another street toward the market district to start my search. There were several shops in the area, so it was as good a place as any to look for Jessie's gift.

* * *

"Tifa! I knew I'd find you here."

I turned around from where I'd been restocking the shelves on the back wall and frowned. That wasn't Jessie. She had messaged me just a minute or so ago letting me know she was on her way. I knew who this was, though. She'd been constantly hovering around the bar off and on for weeks now, ever since Cloud had first arrived. Hoping to get a bit of juicy gossip, no doubt. It was always the same with her. And she never seemed to care what might come of it, good or bad.

My eyes narrowed. "What is it, Derla?"

She stood proudly, tossing her short red hair and folding her arms in front of her. "I've got a big scoop for you!"

"Not interested," I waved her off. "I've got a lot of work to do."

"Oh, but you'll _definitely_ wanna here this! Trust me! It's about your childhood friend and that girl Jessie."

I rolled my eyes. Whatever Derla had to tell me, I probably already knew. I heard a lot when I was here tending bar, and I knew Cloud and Jessie had grown closer since his arrival. It was cute, seeing how he had slowly warmed up to her over the past two months, and I had a hunch that she was part of why he'd stayed with us.

"Fine," I sighed. "What is it?"

Derla slid onto one of the stools in front of the bar and rubbed her hands together. "Well, you see, they're in love! I saw them walking arm in arm to her house last night. I was following them as quiet as I could. They almost saw me once, but I ducked around the corner just in time! Pretty close call, I tell ya."

"You've been sneaking after them!?" I fumed.

"You bet! Gotta find out what's going on, after all. And guess what? That childhood friend of yours stayed with that girl Jessie all night! All night long! I saw them leave her house together this morning. And you know what _that_ means!"

I smirked. "As usual, you're dead wrong."

"Oh?" Derla huffed. "And why do you say that?"

"Jessie already filled me in on what happened. He stayed there with her alright, but it wasn't like you're saying. And what she and Cloud do or don't do isn't any of your business, Derla. If you were thinking that I was going to get jealous and upset about this, you've got another thing coming. They're my friends, and as long as _they're_ happy, _I'm_ happy. So stop trying to cause trouble!"

She sniffed. "I'm just trying to find things out!"

"No!" I put my hands on the bar. "You're a nosy gossip butting into everyone's business. Back off! And if I _ever_ catch you sneaking after me or my friends again, I will personally kick your sorry ass so hard you'll hit the plate! Am I perfectly, crystal clear?"

Derla got up, muttered something under her breath, and gave me a curt nod. Then she stormed outside just as Jessie opened the doors and stepped inside, a bewildered look on her face as she saw Derla leave. It always made me mad, dealing with that woman. She didn't know when to quit and wouldn't take a hint.

I had found Cloud's key and the note that Biggs had left for me last night, so I'd already had a pretty good idea of what had happened even before Jessie had explained it to me. She had told me about it early this morning when I had messaged her to check on Cloud. I knew full well how awkward and inexperienced with women he was—it was cute in a way—so I hadn't been at all concerned that he and Jessie might've been intimate last night. It wasn't my business, of course, and I would never ask. That was entirely between the two of them.

I wasn't afraid of them taking that step. It would happen sooner or later if they ever got things going between them. I just knew Jessie well enough to trust that she wouldn't try to seriously pursue anything with him without asking me first. Not that she really needed my permission, of course. She was a grown woman, after all. But she knew Cloud and I were close. And she cared about how I felt.

Jessie took a seat at the bar. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing," I told her. "Just had to clear a few things up with Derla. Anyway, how was your night with Cloud?"

"It was good," she said, trying to sound casual.

I could tell Jessie was nervous, though, the way she held her hands in her lap and wouldn't quite meet my eyes at first. She was a very good actress, but I'd known her long enough that I could often tell when she was doing it. She hid a lot of doubt and insecurity behind her cheerful front, more than most people ever knew. But I did, more than anyone. Although she was happier now than she'd been in those early days back when she had first come here, I still worried about her. Especially now with what had happened to Reactor 1.

I went around the bar and sat next to her. "Hey, it's alright. You can talk to me. What's on your mind?"

She swallowed. "Well, you remember when Marlene asked me if… if I was in love with Cloud? I never got to tell you. Every time I've tried to talk with you about it, I've been interrupted or called away away for some reason or other. So that's why, when I messaged you back, I asked if I could meet you alone this morning."

"Go on," I urged her. "You don't have to be afraid."

"Thanks, Tifa," Jessie smiled, resting her hands on the bartop. "The truth is… I am. I'm crazy about him. I guess it's not surprising with all the time we've spent together and how he's always been there for me. It does make me feel a little guilty, though, because I know you like him, too. And I don't want to hurt you."

I took her hand. "Jessie, tell me… do you want to try and see if you two could have something together?"

She nodded. "More than anything. It's just…"

"What is it?" I asked.

"I flirt with him a lot, there's no denying that. I really like him. But I've never tried to move things forward between us. Hasn't always been easy, but… I didn't want to take that step without talking with you first. I wanted to be sure it was okay with you. And… if it's not… that's fine, too. I'll back off, Tifa, if you want me to."

I went back behind the bar and got us both a drink, then sat down with her again. "I really appreciate you coming to me, Jessie. It means a lot to me that you respected me and our friendship like that. I grew up with Cloud, but he's not the same now as he was then. You know that I thought about him a lot after he left town—I've told you about it—and that I liked him. I still do. But I don't really know what I feel, much less what to do. I'm not really much better at talking about my feelings than Cloud is, actually. Kinda funny, don't you think?"

"Yeah, sure is," Jessie chuckled, sipping her drink.

"Anyway," I went on, laughing with her. "What I'm trying to say is, I wouldn't even know where to start if I ever wanted to have something happen between me and Cloud. In fact, you probably know him better than I do at this point, Jessie."

She blinked. "Really?"

I took a swallow of my own drink. "He and I have our memories of our hometown, and we're good friends, but that's all. With all the work and stuff you two have been doing together, I think you've spent more time with him than I have. I see him every day, but not as much as you do. I think that tells me enough."

Jessie stared at me, unable to hide her excitement. "Tifa, are you… are you saying… what I think you're saying?"

"Maybe," I smirked. "But you've gotta earn it first."

I'd had something on my mind while Jessie and I had been talking about Cloud and her feelings for him, and I knew it would be just what she needed. I wasn't going to stand in her way—I had already made up my mind about that a while ago—but I wasn't going to make it easy for her to get my approval, either.

"What do you mean?" Jessie wondered.

I stood up and flexed my arms and fingers. "I think it's time we did a little sparring, Jessie. Beat me and he's all yours."

"Oh, you are _on!"_ she grinned, springing to her feet.

I'd been teaching her my martial arts for over a year now, almost a year and a half, and she was getting really good at it. But she still hadn't won any of our matches yet. I wanted her to, as her trainer, and I knew she did, too. It was her goal, her ambition, and I knew without a doubt that Cloud was the perfect motivation for her to finally achieve it. That didn't mean I was going to just let her have it, though. Jessie was going to have to work for it. And hard.

Tugging on my leather fighting gloves, I went outside, crouched at the back of the patio, then charged at the railing. I grabbed it with both hands and used it to somersault down to the ground. As I backed away toward the middle of the large open area in front of the bar, Jessie sped across the deck, launched herself off the railing, did a sideways spin in the air, and landed about ten feet away from me, her arms out to either side of her, one leg forward and the other behind her.

"Ready?" I brought up my fists.

Jessie straightened and whipped up her own. "You know it!"

* * *

The vase was slender, elegant, and made of polished blue glass that shone brightly in the early afternoon light. It was as much a piece of art as it was a container, and I knew Jessie and her flower would like it. So I went ahead and bought it, throwing in a little extra so it could be put in a box and wrapped. The paper was simple enough but colorful, and I couldn't help feeling a little self-conscious as I walked out of the shop with it. I wasn't used to buying gifts, after all. I'd hoped nobody I knew would see me, but I wasn't that lucky.

"Well, ain't that a sight!" a familiar voice boomed.

I whirled around to see Barret walking up the road, Marlene on his shoulder. "I don't see how it's your business."

"That wouldn't be for Jessie, now would it?" he asked.

I frowned. "So what if it is?"

Barret grunted. "I hear you two've been gettin' pretty close, merc. I ain't blind, you know. An' this ain't a big town. Word gets around. Biggs an' Wedge see it, too."

"What's your point?" I said.

"It's jus' funny that yesterday you was all set to leave, an' now you're not only stayin', you're makin' a beeline for Jessie. Guess she an' Tifa set you straight last night."

I sighed. "Just get on with it."

Barret lifted his gun-arm. "Jessie's a good girl, an' she don't need to have her heart broken by some damn cocky ex-SOLDIER merc. If you _ever_ make her cry, you gonna have my gun barrel shoved right up your ass makin' ya do a jig! You got that?"

"Listen, Barret," I narrowed my eyes. "Hurting Jessie's the last thing I wanna do. That's not why I'm here. And I'm not gonna let anything or anyone else hurt her, either."

Memories of last night's dream still lingered in my mind, a horror I couldn't forget, as much as I wanted to. I think I was talking as much to myself as to Barret at that moment, reaffirming my promise to save her from the terrible fate I'd seen her suffer. In any case, he must've seen it in my eyes, because his gruff demeanor actually seemed to soften a bit, and he slowly relaxed and lowered his arm.

"Awright. Jus' wanted to be sure we had us an understanding. If ya honestly like her, that's all well an' good. Long as you make her happy, I ain't gonna complain. Not sayin' I fully trust ya yet, but I know you was there to save her in the reactor. An' that's a start."

"Oughta be," I said.

Barret strode past me. "Me an' Marlene are headin' back to the bar now. You comin', SOLDIER boy?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I was on my way there."

"Good enough," he said. Then he glanced over his shoulder at me. "Oh, yeah. You start gettin' frisky with Jessie, you better be careful, if ya know what I mean. Don't be leavin' her high an' dry with a lil' package to care for. You get me?"

I stumbled and nearly tripped when I heard him. Was he seriously trying to give me advice about… _that?_ My cheeks burned, and I looked away in a hurry, as annoyed as I was embrassed. I'd never even thought of being with Jessie like that before. Not that the idea wasn't a pleasant one. It was. _Very_ pleasant. My breathing got heavier just thinking about it. And I couldn't ignore the way my heart sped up whenever I saw her. I'd just never thought of that sort of thing all that much before. I didn't really have any experience with it.

"Uh, yeah…" I swallowed. "Wasn't planning on leaving her. But it's a bit early to worry about that stuff, isn't it? She and I aren't even seeing each other yet, if it happens at all."

"You two keep goin' on like you been doin', an' it will soon enough," Barret laughed. "Jus' you wait!"

I got moving again. "What do you know about women?"

He snickered. "A helluva lot more than you, I bet. For such a tough, badass merc, seems you ain't got a clue 'bout how to handle the ladies. Pretty damn funny if you ask me."

"I didn't," I muttered.

As we approached the large clearing in front of the bar, I saw there was a fairly sizable crowd gathered around the edges of the area. Biggs and Wedge were nearby, and they motioned for us to join them as soon as they saw us. I didn't know what everyone was so interested in, not at first, and enough people were there that Barret and I couldn't see what was going on from where we were standing. But after meeting up with the guys, I looked at the broad stretch of ground in front of the _Seventh Heaven_ and suddenly understood what was going on.

Tifa and Jessie were sparring.

I'd watched them before, but usually they did it out back, with only me and sometimes one or more of the others looking on. I didn't know why they'd chosen to have their match in front of the bar today. I didn't think they'd been expecting an audience, but Tifa's skill as a fighter was pretty well known here, and I figured the chance to see it firsthand was one the locals hadn't been able to pass up.

Nearby stood Johnny, cheering wildly for Tifa as he held a drink in his hand. His dark red hair and blue jacket made him easy to find. And not so far away was that gossip, Derla. If her frown could've killed, Tifa would've lost the match by now. I realized a lot of people were cheering the girls on. Most were behind Tifa, but there were some calling Jessie's name, too. I shared an amused glance with Barret.

"Damn!" he chuckled. "Them girls are really goin' at it!"

He was right. Tifa and Jessie fought furiously, ducking and kicking, dodging and punching, all with an intensity and ferocity I'd never seen them show in training before. Especially Jessie. She moved with a fluid grace, her reflexes as quick as a cat as she blocked a string of quick jabs Tifa threw at her before spinning to the left and launching a backhand punch of her own. Tifa caught it and knocked it away, but Jessie stayed right with her and drove her back with a sweeping kick that forced her to leap away to avoid being knocked off her feet.

Biggs grinned. "Jessie's on fire, boss!"

"Tifa'll still win," Wedge countered. "She always does."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, buddy. Got a good feeling about today. A hundred gil says Jessie pulls an upset!"

Wedge shook his hand. "You're on! Easy money for me!"

"You wish!" Biggs shot back.

"Hmm…" Barret thought for a moment, then smirked. "Count me in, guys. My bet's on Tifa. Jessie's good, but she ain't never won yet. An' I don't see that happenin' today."

Wedge laughed. "Yeah! He knows what he's talkin' about!"

"Fight's not over yet," Biggs reminded him. "Hey, Cloud! You want in? How about it? A hundred gil on Jessie?"

I thought for a minute. "Make it five hundred."

Wedge's jaw dropped. "You sure? You're gonna regret it!"

"Five hundred," I repeated.

"You got it!" Biggs slapped me on the back. "Our girl's gonna make us rich today, Cloud!"

Barret just looked at me as if I'd gone crazy, but I didn't care. As I'd watched the fight, I had seen the look of sheer determination in Jessie's eyes, and I knew exactly what it meant. She was going for the win. Tifa didn't have that look. She was fighting hard, of course, but I could tell it wasn't the same for her as it was for Jessie.

So I knew who to bet on.

The fight took the girls all around the yard, and neither of them let up for a second. Tifa urged Jessie on as she fought, encouraging her but not letting her score any easy hits, either. Jessie swung her fist in a right hook at one point, but Tifa caught it in both hands, quick as lightning, drove her knee into her gut, and sent her flying into the ground with a high roundhouse kick. Jessie snarled, rolled to her feet, and brought up her fists. Then she launched herself at Tifa.

* * *

"Focus!" I urged, throwing another punch. "Move your feet!"

Jessie did, hopping to the side and blocking my fist before it could connect with her chest. I spun away from the high kick she sent back at me and went at her with trio of low jabs she couldn't avoid. Jessie took the blows but stayed on her feet, returning the favor with a pretty mean right hook to my stomach that sent me a back a step or two. I grinned, glad to see her keeping up with me.

I caught a quick glimpse of the crowd and saw a familiar face as we broke apart for just a moment, our fists still up. "Nervous?"

"You wish!" she winked. "I _love_ an audience!"

"I know you do, Jessie! _Especially_ when Cloud's in it."

She didn't take the bait but kept her eyes fixed on me as we circled each other. Good! Always keep your eyes on your opponent. It was one of the most basic rules of combat, but Jessie had always struggled with it. She wasn't going to be distracted today, though.

Jessie laughed. "Nice try, Tifa! But I'll admire him later. Right now, I'm gonna give everyone a show they'll never forget! Hope you're ready for me, 'cause here I come!"

With that, she charged right at me, launching herself into an aerial roundhouse kick. It was a good move, one I'd taught her myself, but I'd seen it coming and was ready for it. I spun to the side and struck at her with a swift backward kick of my own, thinking to catch her before she landed. I only hit air, though, because to my surprise and delight, Jessie didn't thrust her leg and foot out after finishing the midair spin like I'd thought she would.

Instead, she put both feet under her and used her own momentum to dive into a forward roll, passing under my leg and cleverly sweeping the other one out from under me just as she got upright again. Caught completely off guard by her unexpected fake out, I fell backward to the ground with a startled cry.

The rules we used for our sparring matches were simple. First one to knock the other to the ground three times was the winner. No blows to the head or face, either. Sometimes, Jessie would get me down once, but not more than that. Most of the time, anyway. But lately, she'd been able to send me into the dirt twice a few times, though I'd always come back and beaten her in the end.

I sprang to my feet, fists up. "Good, Jessie! One to you!"

"Two more, comin' right up!" she taunted.

"Don't get overconfident," I countered, laying into her with another set of punches, driving her backward across the area. She blocked them one by one and then pummeled my abdomen with a flurry of her own before spinning hard to the right, bouncing lightly from foot to foot as I came for her. She was ready, though, and dodged my leaping kick just before it would've hit her.

Her smirk never wavered. "I'm not. I just know I can do this!"

"Then show me!" I challenged her.

Jessie answered with her fists, lunging at me a little too eagerly. She was excited and full of adrenaline, but her anticipation had telegraphed her moves. I sidestepped just as she reached me, caught her shoulder in both hands, and spun her into a forward throw that left her flat on her back on the ground, muttering to herself.

"Two for me," I said. I'd already gotten her down once before.

She jumped to her feet. "And that's all you'll get!"

I waited for her, arms up. "Focus, Jessie. You've got to keep calm to win. Use your head and wait for an opening. And once you see it, hit it with everything you've got."

"Right," she nodded, readying herself. "Let's dance."

This time, Jessie listened to my advice and was more methodical as we circled each other, trading blows and blocking or dodging as many as got through. So it went for another few minutes, Jessie blocking one of my kicks as I jumped over another of hers and drove my elbow into her lower back. Grunting in pain and surprise, she staggered forward a few steps but stayed on her feet.

Jessie recovered quickly, spinning around and hammering me with a backhand punch to the chest that threw me back a step. I shook it off and charged at her, planning to strike before she could get her defenses up, but she had other ideas. Instead of trying to fall back into a crouch with her fists up, Jessie turned and ran toward the bar.

What was she doing? I followed her as she sped full out toward the lower wall of the patio, and it was only when she jumped and bounced off it that I realized, too late, what she'd intended. Jessie used the side of the patio to launch herself into a backward somersault kick that hit me full on with both feet and sent me flying into the dirt.

"That's two!" she grinned.

I stood up and brushed myself off. "Good work! Think you can get one more, Jessie?"

She braced herself, fists up. "Believe it!"

We went at it again, raining blows on each other one after another, ducking, dodging, and jumping as the fight took us all over the area. It was intense as the crowd cheered around us. As we fought with neither of us getting an advantage over the other, I reminded myself of my own advice and waited for an opening to show up.

A moment later, it did.

Jessie missed a step, stumbling backward, and I went for it, leading with my right fist arcing toward her chest. But as soon as I did that, she instantly dropped low, flat on her hips as she stretched her legs apart to either side in a splits maneuver.

I'd completely fallen for her clever feint, and I barely even had time to process that thought before Jessie slammed her fist squarely into my stomach. Then she sprang back to her feet as I doubled over and hit me in the solar plexus with a backward thrust kick that threw me hard into the ground almost twenty feet away.

There was a sudden gasp from the crowd as I lay there catching my breath, a huge smile on my face. I was, no doubt, the one a lot of them had thought would win. I always had, after all. Until now, anyway. And I couldn't have been happier. Jessie just stood there for a moment, as if she hadn't quite realized yet that she'd won. Then her eyes widened as it finally hit her, and her jaw dropped.

"I did it…" she breathed.

I sat up and laughed. "You sure did, Jessie!"

She thrust her fist into the air amidst cheers from the crowd. "I did it! I beat you, Tifa! I finally beat you!"

"Took you long enough," I chuckled.

"The waiting just makes it all the sweeter!" Jessie said.

I flashed her a wry grin while she helped me up. "I bet it does. But you know, I don't remember teaching you that last move."

"Nope, you didn't," she giggled.

"Mind sharing your secrets with me?" I asked.

She winked. "Oh, I just did what any good actress would do, Tifa. I improvised. All there is to it!"

I took her shoulder. "That's the way to go, Jessie."

"Really?" she wondered.

"Yeah. Think on your feet. You keep doing that and you'll go far as a fighter. Trust your instincts."

She nodded. "I will, Tifa. You okay? I hit ya pretty hard."

"I'm fine," I assured her, drawing her into a hug. "And I'm proud of you, Jessie. You did good today. Real good."

"Thanks, Tifa," she hugged me back. "You're the best."

We embraced each other for a moment, standing there in the bar's front yard, the dirt bare and brown beneath our feet. Jessie's impressive win today had been a long time coming, but she had more than earned it. And her reward. Thinking of that, I pulled back but didn't let go just yet, resting my hands on her shoulders. I glanced at Cloud, and she did the same, the longing clear in her eyes.

"Go get him," I told her as we looked at each other again.

She beamed. "Thank you…"

As Jessie let go and started jogging across the yard toward Cloud, I called after her. "Jessie!"

"Yeah?" she turned around for a moment.

I smiled. "Good luck."

Jessie's grin went even wider if that were even possible as the locals who were still around all cheered and called her name. I was happy for her, both for her win and for what she might have together with Cloud. He always tried to be tough and stoic, but he'd never quite been able to hide the soft spot he had for her. As I watched, Jessie waved at me, then ran off to see the man she'd fallen in love with.


	19. EIGHTEEN

## EIGHTEEN

" _Yes!"_ Biggs pumped his fist.

I watched in satisfaction as Jessie pulled off the win that I'd known she would, dropping under Tifa's punch to hit her with one of her own, her legs wide apart, followed by a kick that sent Tifa sprawling onto the ground. She'd explained the rules to me before, so I knew what landing in the dirt a third time meant the instant it happened.

"Whoa…" Wedge gaped in disbelief. "I don't believe it…"

Barret grinned. "Well, call me a chocobo's feathered ass! She did it! Guess she proved us wrong after all."

"Damn right she did!" Biggs chuckled.

"Yay! Jessie!" Marlene clapped.

A moment later, the girls were standing together, embracing. Then they both looked at me. I nodded to them, and after exchanging a final word or two with Tifa, Jessie ran toward us as the locals who were still here cheered around her and called her name. There were more than a few of them, still a good-sized crowd. And Jessie was loving it, smiling from ear to ear the whole time.

She wasn't slowing down either. My eyes widened as she got closer, and I had just enough time to hand the box with the vase in it to Biggs before Jessie leaped into my arms, wrapping her legs firmly around my waist and draping her hands around my neck and shoulders. I fell back a few steps from the impact when I caught her, my eyes locked on hers, but kept my balance as I held onto her.

Then I simply forgot how to think for a while as Jessie reached up, grabbed hold of my face in both hands, and pulled me to her, covering my mouth with hers in a kiss that sent shockwaves sizzling through my brain and threw my heart into overdrive. Cheers erupted all around us, but I was hardly aware of it as her lips touched mine.

I didn't respond at first, so stunned by what she'd just done I could barely get a grasp on what was happening. But after a moment, I let my eyes slide closed and returned Jessie's kiss. A bit awkwardly at first, as I hadn't ever done it before. But she didn't seem to mind, and I could feel her smiling as I pressed my mouth firmly against hers, forgetting for a moment about everything else.

When Jessie finally pulled away, I just looked at her, not really sure what to say yet. I was struggling to get some kind of grasp on my mind, which she'd just blown wide open. The kiss was more than great. It was incredible, enough to completely fry my brain for at least a good thirty seconds, and it took a moment for it to sink in that she'd kissed me. My lips tingled at the thought of it.

Jessie smiled. "How'd you like that, merc?"

"Not sure," I said, trying to play it cool in the midst of the dizzying whirlwind of emotions swirling through my racing heart, a tornado of happiness, surprise, wonder, and affection. "Need to do more testing to find out. A lot more."

"Oh, I think I can arrange that," she winked.

"Hell of a show, Jessie!" Biggs laughed. "During _and_ after the fight. Can't wait for the encore."

She giggled. "You and Tifa can take care of that, Biggs."

"Uh… nevermind," he looked away.

"She's gotcha there," Wedge said. He gave Jessie a thumbs up. "Way to go, Jessie! Good job out there!"

Jessie shot him one of her own. "Thanks, Wedge!"

Biggs held a hand out toward him. "Speaking of which, time to pay up, buddy. Five hundred gil."

"You guys were making bets?" Jessie stared.

"Yep! Sure did! Barret and Wedge figured Tifa would win. Not me and Cloud, though. We put it all on you!"

Jessie raised an eyebrow. "Kinda risky, don'tcha think?"

I shook my head. "It was never in doubt."

"Really?" she wondered. "How'd you know I'd pull it off? I might've lost. I'd never beaten Tifa until today."

"I was in SOLDIER. I know a winner when I see one."

Jessie's response was to kiss me again, her mouth touching mine in a heartspinning moment of total bliss. Then she pulled away, a softness in her eyes that promised more to come. After giving me another hug, she let go of me and got down, standing nearby as Tifa approached us, an amused smile on her face.

"Didn't waste any time, did you?" she chuckled.

"Nope!" Jessie smirked, flashing her an impish grin. "And now, I'm gonna return the favor."

Tifa blinked. "What do you mean?"

Skipping over to her, Jessie whispered something in her ear, much too softly for any of us to hear. Then she straightened up, her hands on her hips as Tifa looked at her with a puzzled expression on her face, as if she didn't quite understand whatever it was she'd been told. Jessie just waited expectantly and patiently for it to click.

She didn't have to wait long. A moment later, Tifa's eyes widened as sudden understanding hit her, and her mouth dropped open. Her gaze went to Biggs, who was busy collecting money from Barret and Wedge. He didn't notice her at first, but then he looked up, glancing over at her as he slipped his gil into his pocket. Tifa looked away as soon as he did, oddly shy as her cheeks flushed pink.

It seemed Jessie had spilled his little secret. I wondered what would happen between them now that Tifa knew. Biggs wasn't aware of it yet, of course. His gaze lingered on her for a minute as he idly scratched his stubbled chin, then he came over and handed me the box with the vase in it along with my share of the winnings.

"Here ya go," he said. "A thousand gil. And your box."

"Thanks," I said, pocketing the money.

Jessie clasped her hands together and squealed in delight when she saw the gift. "Is that for me? Is it?"

I nodded. "Uh, yeah. But I'd rather give it to you in private."

"Ooh, I like that!" she giggled. "So romantic!"

"I guess so. Lunch?"

Jessie thought for a minute. "In a bit. I thought we could finish the bike today. Shouldn't take too long. And if it works, I've got a great idea for something we can do together!"

"Sure," I said. "What'd you have in mind?"

She walked up to me, waving to Tifa and the others as they headed inside the bar and the locals went on their way, some calling to her and congratulating her as they left. Jessie smiled and thanked them, clearly enjoying herself, and before long, we were pretty much by ourselves in the wide clearing in front of the _Seventh Heaven._

Jessie whispered in my ear. "Picnic at the secret place?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "Sounds good."

She stepped back and spoke up again. "Awesome! Let's head over to the garage and get started! C'mon!"

Without waiting for me to follow, Jessie laughed and skipped away down the road toward her workshop. By the time I got there just a few minutes later, she'd already opened the garage door and was pulling off her armor, vest, and gloves and putting them on one of the shelves. Her blue bodysuit clung tightly to her chest, her curves clearly molded and hugged by the fabric encasing them.

I took off my own gloves and set them on the shelf as Jessie flashed me a grin, opened her toolbox, and got to work. Then I joined her, and we spent the next hour or so putting on the finishing touches, checking the motor, and making sure the tires were nice and full. All four, two in front and two in back. When we were finished, I climbed onto the seat while Jessie handed me the keys. I was just about to give it a try when a thought came to my to mind, and I looked back at her.

"You do it," I said, getting off the Hardy.

She shook her head. "No, Cloud. I couldn't have finished it without your help. Go ahead."

I wasn't so sure about that. "It's your bike."

"Not anymore," Jessie drew closer to me. "It's ours, Cloud. We built it together, you and me."

"Then we'll start it together," I said.

Her answering smile went all the way to her ears as I sat back onto the bike and took hold of the keys. Once I did, Jessie reached over and put her hand over mine. We exchanged a knowing glance, then turned the ignition together. The engine roared to life, the sound filling up the garage as I revved the motor a few times.

"We did it!" Jessie cheered.

She threw her arms around me, laughing excitedly, and for a while we just stayed like that, the Hardy humming steadily as Jessie held onto me. We listened to it purr, smooth as could be. I couldn't wait to take it out for a spin with Jessie sitting close behind me, and the corners of my mouth turned up slightly at the thought.

"That another smile, merc?" Jessie teased.

I gazed thoughtfully at her. "If it is, you put it there."

For a moment, she just stared at me in wonder, utterly taken aback by what I'd said. Then she touched her lips to mine, holding them there for a moment and thanking me in a way words never could. I returned the kiss, reaching up to touch her cheek as I did. After a few minutes, I gently pulled away as Jessie did the same.

"Time to ride!" she grinned. "Let's lay down—oh, wait! Can't forget lunch! Our picnic, remember?"

I did. "Yeah. Better get the food before we head out."

She chuckled. "Right! Pizza to go!"

After killing the engine, I got off the bike and helped Jessie put the tools away. Then we gathered all our things, locked up the garage, and walked down the road the short distance to her house. It took us about half an hour or so to get everything ready. While Jessie baked us each a small Midgar Special pizza, she sent me back out to the market district to pick up an insulated thermal bag to keep the food warm as well as a small cooler for the drinks.

I also stopped by the bar to get my key. Barret and Marlene weren't there, or at least not in the common room, but Tifa was busy preparing for the evening crowd that would be in later while Biggs and Wedge sat at one of the tables, drinking and playing cards. They looked up when I walked inside, the bag and cooler clutched in one hand and Jessie's box carefully held in the other.

"Damn, Cloud!" Biggs chuckled. "Haven't even been together for a full day yet and already she's got ya out runnin' errands."

I blinked. "Uh… what?"

Wedge winked. "Told ya you liked her!"

"No point denying it now," I said. Then I fixed them both with my best glare. "Don't even _think_ I've gone soft, though."

"As if!" Biggs quipped.

Tifa walked over and handed me my key. "Here you go, Cloud. I've kept it safe for you."

I nodded. "Thanks, Tif."

She smiled as she saw what I'd bought. "So what are those for?"

"Just… taking Jessie somewhere," I admitted.

"Oh, a date!" Tifa smirked. "Sounds like fun! You two go and enjoy yourselves, okay?"

I scratched my head. "Y-Yeah. We will."

"You're not going in _that_ , are you?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" I wondered.

I was wearing my black merc's outfit, same as always. Tunic, pants, brown leather belt, harness, and boots. What did it matter what I wore? Jessie saw me in it all the time. I wasn't worried about her clothes. Why should I spend time changing mine?

Tifa laughed. "You've gotta look nicer than that if you're going out on a date, Cloud."

"Why?" I stared at her.

"Trust me, you _want_ to do this," she took my arm. "Now leave this stuff here for now and let's go back to the shops and get you something nice to wear, alright?"

I shrugged and did as she said, still not really understanding, but if it was something Jessie would like, then I figured I might as well give it a try. It didn't take as long as I thought, and by the time we got back to the _Seventh Heaven,_ I had bought myself an outfit for my date. It wasn't bad, actually, and the colors were at least ones I liked.

Black denim pants, a dark blue ribbed shirt with short sleeves, and a black leather jacket. I supposed I could live with it, and Tifa had liked it. I changed into the new clothes while I was at the bar, then picked up my things and got ready to go. I'd left Buster back at Jessie's place, and I felt almost naked without it. But I didn't think I'd need it for our trip to the secret place this afternoon.

When I finally returned to Jessie's house and knocked on the door, I nearly dropped what I was carrying when the door opened and I saw her. She'd done some preparing as well, and not just the food. At first, I just stood there with my mouth open, my heart pounding as I gazed at her and wondered where my breath had gone.

Jessie had changed out of her normal clothes same as me. She wore a casual, sleeveless black satin dress cut low to give me a generous view of her modest curves, and the skirt tumbled loosely around her thighs, hanging halfway to her knees. Her long auburn hair was free and loose as it spilled down over her shoulders almost to her waist, and from her ears sparkled her studded earrings.

Jessie had also put on makeup, and while I had never seen her with it before, it definitely suited her. Her lips glistened with lipstick, a vivid, bright pink that matched the hint of rouge on her cheeks. She had also curled her lashes, and her eyes looked a lot more vibrant with the light touch of eyeshadow she'd applied around them. She clapped her hands together in delight when she saw me.

"Ooh, lookin' good!" Jessie giggled. "Your idea?"

"Tifa's," I admitted.

She laughed. "Should've known. I'm definitely gonna have to thank her later! So, what do you think about me, Cloud?"

As soon as she said that, Jessie spun slowly around in the doorway with her arms out wide, laughing as she did. She closed her eyes, tilting her head up as she moved, her skirt swirling around her. It was the first time I'd ever seen her in anything other than pants of some kind, and I liked it. It was a side of her I'd never known existed.

"Beautiful…" I breathed.

Jessie stopped in midspin, her eyes wide. "Really? You mean that?"

I did, without a doubt. "Yeah. You look great, Jessie."

"Awww, thanks!" she gushed, clapping her hands together. "Been a long time since I've dressed up all fancy like this."

"It suits you," I said.

Jessie smiled. "Glad you like it! Used to wear outfits like this all the time back on the plate. In fact, this one was one of them. I had it on the night I first came to the slums. Kept it ever since even though it wasn't easy. Sad memories, you know."

"Yeah," I nodded. "I understand."

"Well, today I decided I wanted to make some new memories in it. So I'm really happy it catches your eye, Cloud. I know it's not very easy for you to say what you did. Makes me feel really special. Also that you let Tifa talk you into getting all dressed up for me. Got yourself a really nice little ensemble there."

"Just, uh… figured you'd like it," I shrugged.

Jessie chuckled. "I do, Cloud. Very much. And I feel so lucky to get this super hot guy all to myself!"

I looked back up at her. "Thanks. You all set?"

"Sure am!" she nodded. "Been keeping the pizzas warm in the oven while you were gone. So let's pack up and head out!"

I followed Jessie inside, and we got everything packed and ready in just a few minutes. She even picked up one of her extra sheets from the closet to use as a tablecloth. Then we went back outside, and after she'd locked the door, we headed down to her workshop. When we got there, we went into the garage and carefully put everything into the bike's two storage compartments.

Climbing onto the seat, I took hold of the keys while Jessie hopped on behind me. I was just switching on the engine when I felt the moist pressure of her lips on my cheek. As the motor revved to life, I glanced over my shoulder at her and let one corner of my mouth curl up into a slight grin. Jessie's was huge in return.

"Ready?" I asked.

She thrust her fist into the air. "Let's lay down some rubber!"

I faced front again, pushed up the kickstand, and switched the bike into gear. Then I hit the gas, slow at first as we pulled out of the garage. I stopped just long enough for Jessie to hop off and lock it up, and then she got back on and we were moving again. Once we had gone around the corner and onto the road, I went a bit faster, mindful of the people walking about here and there.

It was still plenty fast, though, as we headed in the direction of the bar. The engine roared in our ears as I drove down the dirt lane, hands firmly gripping the handlebars while Jessie sat happily behind me, her own fingers holding onto either side of the bike. But as we turned onto the wide avenue in front of the _Seventh Heaven,_ she suddenly stood up, shot her arms skyward at an angle, tilted her head back, and closed her eyes, her hair flying out behind her. Taking a deep breath, Jessie let out a triumphant cry that reached all the way to the plate.

" _WHOO-HOO!!!"_

* * *

I smiled from the front window as Cloud and Jessie drove past the bar on their finished bike. Jessie was on her feet as they made the turn, her arms held high and her head back as she cried out in joy and sheer exhilaration. She must've been on top of the world right now, achieving two of her goals in one day—finally beating me in a sparring match as well as finishing her dream project. No, make that three. Beginning her romance with Cloud had definitely been a goal and dream of hers, too, and surely the biggest of them all.

And speaking of that, I thought back to the little revelation she had sprung on me after the match. Jessie had surely loved doing that to me, and I knew she'd only been trying to help and give me some of what I'd given her by not getting in her way with Cloud. She had whispered just one word in my ear, giggling as she did, and I hadn't understood at first what she'd meant by it or why she'd said it.

" _Biggs."_

But after a minute or two, the full meaning of that single word had hit me right in the face as if I'd been slugged. Biggs… was interested in me. My jaw had dropped to the ground as my eyes had widened, and I had taken a tentative glance at him as if by looking at him I could tell if what Jessie had told me was really true.

Biggs had been busy collecting money from Barret and Wedge, but when he had felt my eyes on him, he had looked over at me. My cheeks suddenly going pink, I had turned away the instant he did that, feeling shy and a little embarrassed, but why? It didn't make sense. Biggs and I had been good friends for over three years now.

But even now, as the sound of Cloud and Jessie motoring their way through the slums began to fade away as they left the area behind to go onward to wherever they were going, I didn't look away just yet. Wedge and Biggs were still here relaxing, and so far, I'd been able to go on as if everything were the same as always, smiling at them and chatting away, even sitting with them for a bit.

After a few minutes, though, Wedge did what I'd been both hoping for and dreading at the same time. He finished his drink, stood up, and after throwing his empty bottle away, straightened his belt and headed to the doors. He stopped about halfway there and grinned at us, lifting a hand as he got ready to leave.

"Later, guys!" he said. "Gonna head over to Sector 5 and visit Lena for a while. We'll be back for dinner, though. See ya!"

After Biggs and I had said our goodbyes, Wedge finally left, and we were alone. Nerves hit me almost like a physical blow as soon as he was gone, my stomach doing all kinds of flips inside me. What was wrong? I'd been alone with Biggs before and had never felt this way. Or had I? I thought for a moment, trying to get my emotions under some measure of control as I went back to work.

I'd always thought he was handsome, in a rugged sort of way. Very manly and attractive. But I'd never really stopped to look before, Cloud having been on my mind for so long. And it wasn't just that. Biggs and I had gotten closer ever since I'd helped him deal with the pain he'd felt after Jessie had rebuffed him a year and a half ago. He'd hidden it from her so she wouldn't worry, but he'd still had to work his way through it and find some sort of closure.

We'd had our share of quiet drinks together back then after closing up the bar for the night, and I'd often sat there with him and listened as he talked about it all. He had needed a friend, and I'd been happy to be there for him. He'd have done the same for me.

He was always helping me, too, one way or another, like the dishes the other night. And usually he would just do it and not even ask me if I needed it. Whether it was cleaning up, stacking chairs, restocking the shelves, or whatever else, Biggs did whatever he could to make things a little easier for me. I had always appreciated it, but I realized then that I had never really thanked him.

"Biggs?" I said.

He joined me at the bar. "Yeah, Tif?"

I don't know why, but I smiled when I heard him say my name like that. "You've always been such a help to me, you know? I just… I don't think I've ever thanked you. Not really, anyway. So I wanted to. Thank you, Biggs. What you do… it's very thoughtful."

"Ah, don't sweat it," he laughed. "We're friends, right?"

I chuckled. "Yeah! So, friend, want to help me unpack these bottles I had delivered this morning? I need to have them up and ready before the crowd hits tonight."

Biggs gave me a thumbs up. "Let's get to it!"

* * *

After letting loose her shout to the heavens, Jessie kept on standing for another minute or so, her arms out and above her as the wind from our acceleration swept over her, then she finally sat down again with a laugh as she wrapped her arms around my waist.

I'd witnessed her little display in the rearview mirror, and my heart had jumped up into my throat when I had seen her stand up like that. I wasn't gonna ruin her moment, though, so I had kept quiet and hadn't said anything. Instead, I had focused on driving the bike and keeping it steady so Jessie wouldn't fall.

After leaving town, we passed into the outskirts, the only sound as we drove the roar of the Hardy's engine. There was more than one way to get out here from the more settled areas than the road we often took when we went out on our trips for work, and I'd simply decided to take the road stretching past the bar this time. It led out of the area just like the one leading away from it did.

Before long, the pillar was rising up before us, a massive column of stone, metal, and winding stairs. I shivered involuntarily and felt Jessie do the same. She was looking at it, too. I let go of one of the handlebars and put my hand over both of hers where they were still resting across my middle, and she squeezed me tight for a moment. Then, suddenly, I saw a flash of fire in my mind, images of the dream, of Jessie's death, so real I might've been reliving it.

 _She lay on her side, covered in_ _rubble, metal beams, pieces of broken_ _glass, and fragments of the chopper's hull. One of the rotors_ _had snapped off and had embedded itself into her lower back below the bottom edge of her armor, slicing all the way through her stomach, and shrapnel had cut her in a dozen places. A shard of it was buried in her right thigh. She_ _had also been shot several times in the arm and shoulder. Blood pooled under her in a steadily widening puddle as she lay so still._

"Jessie!" Her name tore itself out of my mouth as I shot back to the present with a start.

"You okay, Cloud?" she asked.

I shook off the dark vision as best I could. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Jessie said, unconvinced.

Letting go of her hand, I grabbed the handlebar again as a thought came to me. "Yeah. Jessie, listen. Whatever happens, whether it's on the next mission or another one or anything else that might be dangerous, stay close to me. I'll keep you safe."

"That's a deal, merc. As long as you stay close to me, too."

"You bet," I agreed. "And one other thing. Promise me you won't go into the pillar. For any reason."

Jessie seemed to understand. "I promise…"

We sped on in silence for a while. She hugged me tightly again and rested her head against my shoulder as we made our way toward Sector 8. The dirt road unrolled underneath us as the countless piles of metal and junk flew past us on either side. We weren't too far from the secret place now, and before long, we turned onto the trail leading to it. Soon enough, it came into sight ahead of us.

I brought the Hardy to a stop next to the mound of dirt and debris near the dead end by the outer wall, and we got off. It was quiet, the air here cleaner than it was further into the slums thanks to the gentle puff of wind coming in from the badlands outside. As we got everything for the picnic out of the bike's storage compartments and climbed up atop the mound to the wooden bench, the afternoon sun shone down on us from over the top of the wall and through gaps in the plate. It was nice to see it for once and feel its warmth for a while.

When we got to the picnic bench, we set everything up and dug in, taking our time as we sat side by side and ate. From where we were, we could see out across the badlands, a wasteland of brown and gray rock and low hills that stretched out to the horizon. Sure wasn't the prettiest sight, but it was still a glimpse of the world outside Midgar. Jessie and I both appreciated it for that alone.

"You think we'll ever get out?" she asked.

I nodded. "Possibly. Any idea where you wanna go?"

Jessie smiled. "It doesn't matter. As long as it's someplace I've never been to before. And you're with me."

"I said I'd stick close to you," I reminded her.

"Yep!" she laughed. "And I'm holding you to it, SOLDIER boy."

I knew she would. "Then we'll go together."

"Ooh, a romantic getaway, just the two of us!" Jessie giggled. "I love the sound of that! Hmm… you know, there _is_ one place I'd like to go to someday if we could."

"Where's that?" I wondered.

She gazed wistfully across the badlands. "The ocean. I haven't seen it since I was five years old. I'd never imagined anything so big before. I miss it sometimes. And maybe… we could see what's on the other side. What do you say, Cloud?"

I liked that idea. "Yeah, Jessie. We'll see it. Someday."

"Thank you!" Her answering hug was immediate and so tight that it nearly stole the breath from my body. After a moment, she let go and sat back, smiling at me. "Now we've got something to look forward to. I can't wait to go on our trip!"

When we finished eating, we cleared off the table, putting the sheet and everything else back in the bag and cooler and setting them aside. Then we turned around on the long seat so our backs were to the table and we were looking out over the road. About twenty feet below us, the Hardy leaned comfortably on its kickstand, its chrome pipes shining in the bright afternoon sunlight.

Swallowing, I handed Jessie the box. "Um, here…"

Her eyes lit up as she took it and began unwrapping it. "Awww, for me? You shouldn't have…"

Jessie chuckled as she tore open the wrapping paper like a kid on a holiday. Once it was off, she lifted off the top of the box and set it aside, then got to work on the tissue paper the clerk had packed inside. After she had pulled it apart, her mouth fell open and she let out a little gasp when she saw the vase, her eyes wide.

"Oh, Cloud…" Jessie breathed. "It's beautiful…"

"I, uh… I just figured you ought to have something better than an old cup to keep your flower in."

She gazed at the vase for a long moment as she held it up, the glass blue and bright. It was tall, slender, and clear, like a spout of water that had somehow been made solid, the afternoon sun shining through it as it lay in her hands. As she looked at it, Jessie reached up and wiped her tear-filled eyes with one hand.

"Silly onions…" she laughed softly. "They get me every time."

"Looks that way," I agreed.

After putting the vase carefully on the picnic table, Jessie wrapped her arms around me. "Thank you so much, Cloud. It's wonderful. And I love it. Thank you…"

"You're welcome," I told her.

Jessie lifted her head, and her gaze wandered between my eyes and my mouth while mine went back and forth between hers and our faces drifted closer together. A moment later, our lips met, and warmth shot through my body like a firestorm. My skin tingled and my heart raced, and then I slid a hand from her waist to the small of her back, pressing her against me and deepening the kiss.

Our mouths moved against each other, touching and pulling away and touching again, over and over and over. Jessie then took my lower lip in both of hers, the moistness intoxicating as it heated up my blood like nothing I'd ever known. And when she eventually moved her open mouth back up, our tongues brushed against each other, sending volts of current right into my brain.

Jessie and I didn't need words to know what to do. She moved even closer, settling herself onto my lap, and opened her mouth wider to let me in as I did the same for her. Our tongues met and danced, winding around each other as we kissed passionately, our embrace tightening as we clung to each other. All the feelings, all the unspoken attraction, the flirting, the lingering gazes and incidental touches—it all just burst out in this tender moment of shared affection.

That was when Jessie and I really found each other.


	20. NINETEEN

## NINETEEN

The drive back to Sector 7 was a quiet one, but comfortable. Jessie drove this time, her hair brushing past my face as I sat behind her. My lips still tingled from our intense kissing at the secret place, anxious for more. My hands rested lightly on either side of her waist as we sped on down the dirt road toward home.

When had the Sector 7 slums become home to me? When had that happened? I'd gotten used to the place over the last two months, but to be honest, I'd never really thought of it as home until recently. Maybe it was Jessie that made it feel that way. Tifa, too, good friend that she was. Even the others. A little, anyway. But _just_ a little. Maybe it was because we'd been on a mission together now and I'd gotten to know them a bit. They'd begun to grow on me, not that I was ever gonna tell them. I still had an image to maintain, of course.

Jessie and I both deliberately avoided looking at the pillar complex as we raced past it, our eyes fixed on the road ahead. But as we went by, I slid my arms around her waist and squeezed her gently for a moment, telling her without a word that I wasn't going to let anything happen to her. She glanced back at me and smiled, then brought her eyes back to the front again as we rode on.

When we finally got back to her house, Jessie parked the bike next to it but didn't get off just yet. Instead, she turned around on the seat to face me and then draped her arms over my shoulders. I knew what she had in mind, and I held her close to me as our lips met. We stayed that way for a while, just kissing each other. Long, lingering ones that made my heart race and my skin tingle with warmth.

"Damn, Cloud," she murmured. "You are _such_ a good kisser."

"I am?" I wondered.

She laughed. "Yep! The best!"

I felt my cheeks flush pink. "Um, well… thanks. Never did it before today, you know."

"I… I was your first?" Jessie breathed.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Just… never had anyone before."

She touched my cheek, her eyes gazing at me in wonder. "So, when I jumped on you after the match, it was..."

"One hell of a first kiss," I finished for her.

Jessie hugged me tight. "Wow! How lucky can a girl get?"

"I'm glad it was you," I said.

She replied with her lips, covering mine in a kiss so passionate it all but ripped the breath out of me. I responded by pressing her close and returning it, one hand sliding through the soft strands of her hair. The need to breathe forced us apart for a minute, but then we got back to it, our lips and tongues meshing seamlessly together while we sat there on the Hardy, lost in each other.

Eventually, we got off the bike and went inside the house. As soon as we did, Jessie filled her new vase with fresh water before moving the flower to it and cleaning out the old cup. After putting it and the rest of the stuff from the picnic away, we went back outside and spent the rest of the afternoon just walking around the slums together until we came to the weapon shop as the daylight was starting to fade.

"Hey, Cloud," Jessie said. "How about I get you something?"

I shrugged. "What for?"

She giggled and rolled her eyes. "You're too cute when you do that, you know? Anyway, since you bought me a nice gift, I wanted to do the same for you. And I figured this was more your style."

"Definitely," I agreed.

After checking out what the weapon shop had to offer, I picked out a mythril bangle, the last one they had in stock. It had two linked slots for materia and was a lot stronger than the plain bronze bracer I'd been using since I first came to Midgar. I planned to use the Restore materia Jessie had given me in Sector 8 in one of the two slots. Since they were linked, if I ever found a blue support materia such as Magnify, that link would apply its effect to the Restore materia.

"Nice pick!" Jessie winked. "Oughta be pretty useful."

I nodded. "Yeah. Thanks."

She laughed. "No problem, Cloud. I'm really glad you like it. Kinda makes me wonder, though. You think I could ever learn to use materia like you do? It's pretty cool."

"Sure, Jessie. It's not that hard. Just takes practice."

"Maybe you could teach me sometime," she said as she paid for the bangle. "With… what I do, it would be handy."

That wasn't a bad idea. "If you want to. Just let me know."

"Great!" Jessie beamed.

On impulse, she went back to the shop's armor section, looked at it for a moment, and then picked out an iron bangle for herself. It wasn't as durable as the mythril one that she'd gotten me, and there was only a single materia slot in it, but it was a good piece for a beginner. She took it back to the counter and bought it. Now all that was left was for her to stop by the materia shop around the corner and pick out an orb to use. So we went over there to do just that.

They didn't have much of a selection, just the basics, really. Taking after me, Jessie went with Lightning, which didn't really surprise me. It fit her interest in machines and technology perfectly. She couldn't help grinning the whole time like a kid with a new toy. As we made our way back to her house to put our new gear away, she practically floated over the ground, as happy as she was.

Then we headed over to the bar. Jessie had promised everyone she would make the Midgar Special for dinner tonight, and while she and I had enjoyed it already for lunch this afternoon, we didn't mind having it again. It's _that_ good, I'm telling you. As soon as we got to the _Seventh_ _Heaven,_ Jessie walked in ahead of me, still wearing the black sleeveless dress she'd worn to our picnic.

The crowd was smaller tonight, just a few regulars like Johnny here nursing their drinks. Tifa smiled at us from behind the bar while Biggs and Wedge sat at one of the tables with Marlene and that girl Lena that Wedge was seeing. I didn't miss for a second the fact that for once, Tifa wasn't the only woman in the room being ogled. More than few sets of eyes from the locals followed Jessie as she strode inside, but a cold look from me shut them down readily enough.

"Jealous, merc?" she whispered, her eyes dancing.

I shook my head. "I think _they_ are."

She smirked. "You could be right. I haven't been noticed like this in a long time. Not since my acting days."

"You got this a lot?" I asked.

"Yep!" she nodded as we went over to join the others. "I was kinda famous back then, you know. Goes with the territory."

Made sense. "Guess that means you know how to handle it."

"Sure do!" she patted my arm.

Biggs let out a low whistle. "Whoa, Jessie! Lookin' hot tonight!"

Wedge gave her a big thumbs up. "Yeah! Like, totally smokin'! Any hotter and this place would be on fire!"

"Thanks, guys," Jessie hugged them and took a seat.

"You _do_ look great," Lena smiled.

Jessie giggled. "Thank you. Had a hot date this afternoon."

"Uh, yeah…" I managed as I sat down next to her, very aware of all the eyes suddenly on me. "We went out."

"That right?" Biggs grinned. "Well, spill it! How'd it go?"

The others talked around me for a while as Jessie told them a basic rendition of what happened at our picnic, although she mercifully kept our passionate kissing session out of it. But whenever either of the guys looked at me, they always smirked as if they knew something I didn't. I had no idea why, and it wasn't until Barret came over to join us and got a good look at me that I found out.

"Damn, Cloud!" he chortled. "Looks like you an' Jessie really went at it today! She left her mark on ya, that's for sure."

I blinked. "What?"

Biggs' snarky explanation left Jessie and I both blushing. "You got a bit of her lipstick on ya, buddy. Guess you two had more fun out there than we thought!"

"Sorry, Cloud!" Jessie laughed. "I didn't notice."

"Um, just forget about it," I said, wiping my mouth off in a hurry as the others chuckled around me.

Biggs leaned back in his seat. "Great fight today, Jessie!"

"Yeah!" Wedge nodded. "Didn't know you could do the splits. That was totally awesome!"

Jessie winked at me. "Oh, I'm _very_ flexible."

Once the rest of the crowd had left, Jessie got up and got started on dinner. It was as good as I'd known it would be, the smell filling the bar as we ate, and the breadsticks Tifa had baked to go along with the pizza were great, too. When we'd all finished eating, Biggs predictably helped Tifa with the cleanup, just as he had last night.

While Lena and Wedge went over to a corner of the room to have a little time to themselves, Jessie coaxed me into playing a game of darts with her. Barret and Marlene took on one of the pinball machines for a bit until he put her to bed a little while later.

Jessie and I left not long after that, Wedge and Lena joining us. We walked together for a bit down the road until we reached the side street that led to Wedge's place. When we got there, he and his girl waved and wished us goodnight before heading down the narrow lane toward his house. Jessie watched them go for a moment, a smile on her face, then tugged lightly on my arm, and we got moving again.

When we got to her door, she stopped in front of it, then turned to hug me. I held her for a while, my arms around her as hers slid around me and clung tight. Then she lifted her face toward mine, pressing her mouth against my own, and I returned the favor, my blood sizzling as I kissed her. She was like some strange, harmless, wonderful drug to me, one I couldn't possibly get enough of.

"Been quite a day, hasn't it?" Jessie smiled.

That was an understatement. "Hell of day. Good one, though."

She kissed me again and winked. "I thought so, too, SOLDIER boy. It'll be back to work tomorrow, though."

"Yeah," I nodded. "Getting ready for Reactor 5."

"Let's not think about that right now," she murmured.

I tilted her chin up from where she'd looked down. "You okay? I'm coming along, you know."

"It's not that," she sighed. "Just… other things."

I frowned. "Like what?"

Jessie shook her head. "It's kinda hard to talk about. Give me some time, okay? Let us have tonight."

"Sure," I agreed.

"Thanks, Cloud. And speaking of tonight…"

I swallowed nervously. "What is it?"

"Would you… like to stay with me again?" she whispered.

For a moment, I just gaped at her, knowing the full implications of her invitation but hardly able to believe she'd just made it. I didn't have any intention of refusing her, and my body, blood, and heart all reacted fiercely to the thought of what Jessie and I might do together. And with that in my mind, I let out a long, slow breath as I tried to find the right words to say to her. I decided to play it cool.

"Depends," I answered. "Am I sleeping on the floor again?"

Jessie's answer was immediate and uncompromising. "Not tonight, SOLDIER boy."

I kissed her. "Then I'm in."

* * *

After the others had left and Barret and Marlene had gone upstairs to bed, I watched as Biggs wiped down the counters and put the chairs up on the tables. I had tried to help, but after we'd finished washing the dishes, he had insisted I sit down and let him do the rest. I didn't mind since I'd been on my feet most of the day. That and I knew now why he did it. I wasn't going to take that away from him.

I didn't need to worry about how well he did, either. Biggs was a bit of a neat freak, even more than Jessie, so the bar was always spotless by the time he was finished. As I sipped my drink and watched him work, I let myself really notice him for the first time. Biggs was a manly kind of guy, ruggedly handsome. Not cute and boyish like Cloud. There was a certain charm to that, of course, but I was starting to like Biggs' style, too. It had a certain roguish appeal.

But more touching was the fact that as I watched Biggs work, I saw that he was doing it as much to make me happy as to help me out. And that meant more to me than his looks ever could. He had never tried to hit on me in all the time I'd known him, not once, unlike the men who were in here every day doing that very thing. That was something else I liked about him. He let his actions do the talking.

"Well," Biggs said, brushing off his hands. "I think that's it."

I got up. "Thanks for all your help tonight."

He nodded. "Not a problem, Tif. Guess I'll be headin' out now."

"Hey, Biggs?" I asked. "Before you go, how about we have a drink? We haven't done it in a while."

"Sure," he agreed. "We haven't, have we?"

While he slid onto a stool at the bar, I went around and got started on our drinks. I made his first, showing off a little as I did. Flipping the bottle around, catching it, that sort of thing. I knew he liked it. After he took it, he lifted it in a little toast before taking a sip. I watched, waiting on him before making another one for me.

He grinned. "Perfect!"

"Thanks!" I smiled. "That's the Cosmo Canyon for you."

After making one for myself, I came over and sat on the stool next to him. We nursed our drinks and chatted for a while, talking about his work at the orphanage in Sector 5, Lena, Wedge, how the three of them were doing, the bar, Cloud and Jessie and their newfound relationship, and the Reactor 5 mission, among other things.

Biggs glanced at me. "You're comin' with us, aren't you?"

"I don't know," I sighed.

"Somethin' botherin' you?" he asked.

I gazed at my drink. "It's just… is this the only way, Biggs? Can't we do something else to help the planet? I hate Shinra a lot, but you know how Reactor 1 turned out. Are we really going to do that again? There's gotta be another way…"

He shook his head. "Wish there was, but there isn't. We gotta force Shinra's hand, make 'em shut down the other reactors themselves. With luck, this'll be enough. Least I hope so."

"And if it isn't?" I wondered.

"Then we keep on going," Biggs replied.

I'd been afraid of that. "You know Shinra's going to retaliate. That's what really scares me. What they'll do in response."

Biggs nodded. "I know. We'll just have to be ready for it."

We moved on, talking about other things and finishing our drinks, and when we were done, we both got up. I washed the glasses while he pushed the stools in, and then I walked him to the door. But just before we got there, I took him by the shoulder and slid my arms around him for a minute. I'd never hugged Biggs before. It felt… good. Better than I expected, and I felt a flutter race through my heart.

"Uh, thanks, Tif," he said, tentatively putting his own arms around my waist. "Wasn't expecting this."

"I know," I said. "But I realized I'd never done it before."

Biggs gazed at me. "First time for everything, I guess. Be seein' you tomorrow morning at the meeting."

I let go of him almost reluctantly. "Right. Goodnight, Biggs."

"Night, Tif," he said. "Sleep tight."

"You too. And whatever happens with the mission, watch yourself, okay? Please be careful out there."

Biggs gave me thumbs up as he walked outside. "Will do."

"Thanks," I waved to him.

"No problem," he chuckled. "Guess there's no need to worry about you, Tifa. You specialize in kicking ass."

I laughed. "Damn right! Now, off you go, Biggs."

He did, walking down the road away from the _Seventh Heaven._ As I stood there in the doorway, I watched him go until I couldn't see him anymore, and then I closed the doors and locked up for the night. The bar was quiet as I crossed the room and made my way up the stairs, my thoughts on Biggs and the upcoming mission.

I hadn't fully decided yet on whether I was going to go with Cloud and the others to Reactor 5. He, Barret, and Jessie were to infiltrate the reactor while Biggs and Wedge secured the way in. We'd talked about it earlier tonight a little, but the real planning and preparation was going to start tomorrow. I only hoped we wouldn't regret it.

* * *

Jessie had barely closed and locked the door before she turned and took my face in both hands, pulling me to her and covering my mouth with hers. She kissed me eagerly, her tongue weaving into my mouth as I pressed her firmly against me and slid a hand through her hair. Jessie all but inhaled me, only breaking contact to take a quick breath before her lips closed over mine again.

"Cloud…" Jessie whispered in between kisses. "You can… get up to all the… funny business… you want with me tonight."

My lips danced with hers. "You, too… Jessie."

She giggled. "Now that's… an offer I… can't refuse!"

As we made our way toward her bed, our mouths coming together again and again like magnets, Jessie kicked off her shoes. I pulled away just long enough to shrug my boots off and toss them aside, and then I got back to work, enfolding her in my arms as I let her guide me across the room. She walked backwards, tugging me along and bumping into the corner of the table with her hip on the way.

A little laugh escaped Jessie's lips in between one kiss and the next, and then she was pulling me onto the bed with her. For a while, we just lay there, me on top of her, our lips locking and unlocking and a fierce hunger burning through my blood as my heart went so fast I thought it would explode out of my chest.

Then, after I had shrugged my way out of my jacket and dropped it onto the floor, I let Jessie flip us over so she was lying on top of me, her face descending to meet mine. Her tongue dove back inside my mouth, swirling over and around mine in an electrifying dance of passion that practically set my brain on fire.

"Cloud…" Jessie whispered. "Since I gave you your first kiss today, that means you've never…"

I nodded. "Yeah. Never have."

She paused, lifting her head. "You sure you wanna do this?"

"Wouldn't be here if I wasn't," I assured her, cupping her face in my hands and just holding it there.

"I promise I'll make it special," Jessie murmured.

She covered my fingers with hers, kissing them as she did and just holding them against her as she closed her eyes and hovered there over me for a moment. Then she laid down on top of me again, her head on my shoulder. I could feel her heart beating, and it was going just as fast as mine. My hand slid lightly along her back as I held her.

"You will," I told her.

Jessie smiled up at me. "You're very confident, SOLDIER boy. I like that. And I won't disappoint you."

I knew she wouldn't. "Have you, um… done this before?"

"Yeah, but… only with one other guy," she explained. "It was a long time ago. Back when I was still acting. I may be a bit of a flirt, but I still don't give it to just anyone."

"Your old boyfriend?" I asked.

Jessie snuggled closer to me. "Yeah. But that's in the past now. This is our time, Cloud. Yours and mine."

I agreed. "Right, Jessie. I… I'll make it special for you, too."

"Oh, you're almost too good to be true, you know that?" she kissed me again, holding her lips against mine for minute or so before finally letting go. "Thank you."

I gave her a faint smile. "Sure. It'll be good for both of us."

Jessie stroked my cheek. "Nervous?"

"A bit," I admitted.

"It's okay," she assured me. "Me, too."

I blinked. "Really?"

Jessie swallowed, sat up again, then took my hand and put it on her breast. "Maybe this'll help."

"Jessica…" I breathed, my blood turning to lava.

"I love it when you call me that," she whispered, her mouth closing over mine and holding it tight.

As I felt the soft roundness hiding inside the fabric of Jessie's dress, my heart slammed against my ribs so hard I thought they would break. I let my mouth drift away from hers as my lips traveled slowly down to the hollow of her neck, moistening her skin along the way. Jessie let out a soft sigh of delight before nibbling my ear. The rush of warmth from her little bites helped dispel my anxiety, and I found myself holding her chest more firmly, even squeezing it a bit. She seemed to like it, if what I heard from her was any indication.

Jessie took it as her cue to slide her hands inside my shirt, and my skin tingled at her touch as my breath nearly stopped. I put my mouth back on hers, needing more of the fantastic drug that she was. She was intoxicating, the feel of her lips like the sweetest nectar you could ever imagine. My heart nearly skipped a beat or two when one of the straps of her dress slid down her arm when she moved, taking the strap of her support with it. My hand—the one that wasn't cupping her chest—took hold of her bare shoulder as we kept kissing.

"So…" Jessie teased. "Do I… get a show tonight?"

In answer, I let go of her, sat up, pulled my shirt over my head, and tossed it aside. "This what you had in mind?"

She just gaped at me for a moment, totally at a loss for words aside from an excited little squeak that escaped her lips as her eyes widened. I felt my cheeks flush pink and looked away, my nerves coming back a bit as I realized what I'd done and what I was showing her. But then she took me by the chin, turned me back to her, and put her lips over mine in a tender kiss that she held there for a while. When she finally pulled away, she was smiling softly, her eyes darting between my face and my chest as she ran a hand along the side of my cheek.

"Better than I imagined," Jessie purred.

"Glad you approve," I smirked. "It's all yours."

She grinned. "Lucky me! But you know, Cloud, you should be able to have a show, too. It's only fair."

"Jessie?" I stared at her.

Reaching behind her, she took hold of her dress. The sound of her unzipping it was very loud in the stillness, and my blood sizzled as she slid her arms out of the straps and slowly tugged the whole thing down until it was piled at her waist. All she wore above that was her support, soft, shimmering black satin and very enticing.

I swallowed. "Nice, Jessie."

"Thought you'd like it," she giggled. "I, uh… wasn't sure if you'd get to see it, but… you know, just in case…"

"You come prepared," I noted.

Jessie suddenly exploded into a fit of hysterical laughter as her face turned an interesting shade of dark red at the same time. "Cloud Strife, you did _not_ just say that!"

I didn't get it. "Say what?"

"Nevermind!" she chuckled, tears leaking from her eyes.

When she had finally composed herself, Jessie scooted close to me again and wrapped her arms around my neck and shoulders. My hands returned to where they'd been before, grasping her chest and shoulder, and I went back to kissing her for a while. Our mouths meshed, fingers explored each other, and we let out breathy murmurs and moans as the physical tension between us continued to build.

As our tongues danced, the heat flared in me as I was sure it did in her, and I pressed her against me, needing and wanting her more than I'd ever desired anything before in my life. My body ached and yearned for Jessie, responding to her every touch just as her little whimpers and mewlings told me she wanted and needed me in the very same way. As my hands came to rest on the back of her support, my eyes found hers and asked them the unspoken question.

"Do it, Cloud," Jessie murmured. "Finish the show."

Fumbling with the clasps, I did just that.


	21. TWENTY

## TWENTY

_Jessie stood alone in the pillar._

_I was a helpless, invisible observer this time, watching as she ducked behind one of the concrete columns and tossed a raspberry at the feet of a group of Shinra soldiers rushing toward her from the far side of the area. They stopped, glancing down just in time to get an explosion to the face. It hurled them to the floor with a deafening blast that drowned out their startled shouts. They didn't get back up._

_Jessie walked across the floor, grinning and admiring her handiwork. "How'd you guys like that? Thinking of tweaking my design a bit, making it a bit more potent. Thanks for being my guinea pigs! Got a couple more prototypes if any of your friends show up._ _"_

_As soon as the words had left her mouth, a sudden breeze swept over the area as a Shinra chopper suddenly flew up from below, its headlights blindingly bright as they swept across her. Jessie whirled around, saw the triple gun barrel mounted under the hull, and her eyes widened. She had just enough time to dive back behind the column before the chopper fired at her, bullets chasing her the entire distance and chewing a trail into the concrete floor right behind her feet._

_Jessie looked cautiously past the edge of her cover at the chopper, her brown eyes determined as she stood with her back to the column. "Okay, you bastards. Ready for some shock therapy?_ _"_

 _When she lifted her right arm, I saw she was wearing the iron bangle she'd bought, the Lightning materia fitted neatly into the single slot. Jessie locked her eyes on her target, concentrating on the magic just the way I'd taught_ _her—even though in the waking world, I hadn't done it yet—then stepped out into the open just long enough to unleash a forking blue bolt of electricity at the helicopter. It struck the side of the hull with a sizzling blast that threw_ _the whole thing back for a moment._

_Jessie darted behind the column again, and when she opened her belt pouch and took out one of her purple grenades, fear raced through me as I felt my heart constricting in my chest. I wanted to warn her, to stop her somehow, but all I could do was watch, a prisoner of this horrible dream, this vision of a future I hoped would never happen._

" _Time to get serious," Jessie muttered, eying the chopper as it hovered near the side of the pillar. "Today's your unlucky day, boys, because when I aim for a target, I never miss!"_

 _Speeding away from the column, she had to run again as the chopper opened fire, bullets following after her until she reached the next column and rolled_ _behind it. A moment later, Jessie spun back out into the open, pulled the pin from her grenade, and reached back her arm to throw it as hard and as fast as she could._

 _At the same time, the chopper flew right toward her, almost touching the outer wall below the guardrail as it fired again, catching Jessie just as she let go of the raspberry. She cried out in pain as bullets ripped into her arm and shoulder and drove her back. One of the chopper's shots caught the grenade just a few seconds_ _later, inadvertently setting it off_ _early, and I saw Jessie's eyes widen just as it exploded._

_The blast threw her hard to the floor, spinning her around as it blew up the front of the chopper at the same time. The machine crumpled like a tin can, careening out of control. Jessie landed on her stomach, burned and bleeding, and tried to crawl away as the ruined helicopter fell toward her. But she was too badly hurt, her right arm practically useless and her thigh bleeding where it had been impaled by shrapnel._

_Jessie screamed and tried to drag herself away with her good arm as the chopper collapsed on top of her, exploding with the impact. A broken rotor, blown off in the blast, stabbed through her lower back until it burst out of her stomach, stopping her escape attempt in its tracks as a shower of rubble, hull fragments, and other debris finished the job._

_Lying on her side, her entire lower body buried under the smoldering wreckage of the destroyed chopper, Jessie let out a soft, weak chuckle, as if defying the excruciating pain she must've been feeling. Blood poured out of her onto the floor, pooling under her as flames burned across the area. She winced, her laughter clearly hurting her as much as the jagged pieces of burnt plating and metal beams piled upon her._

" _Guess I… bit off… more than I could chew… this time. Well, I took you boys… down with me… at least. I always knew… this could happen. But it's… okay. With_ _…_ _all I've done… I don't mind… that I'm gonna die. I just wish… I could see him again. Cloud…"_

_Her energy spent, Jessie sighed and waited for death, her brown eyes still open. If I could've reached out to her, I would've. But I couldn't. I met her dying gaze as the dream began to fade around me, and even as I felt myself being pulled toward wakefulness, I didn't look away. My eyes held hers even though she couldn't see me, and I kept looking until hers finally closed and darkness swallowed everything._

* * *

I jerked awake, sitting up with a gasp as my eyes flew open and my heart raced with fear and adrenaline. At first, I didn't even know where I was. The dream had, again, been so real, like I'd actually been there. I just sat there for a moment as I gradually took in my surroundings and struggled to calm myself down.

I was in Jessie's house, in her bed, the soft blanket and sheets warm against my skin. She was asleep next to me, lying partly on her side and facing away from me, as gorgeous in the dim light peeping in from the window as she'd always been. Her bare back had gotten uncovered a bit when I had sat up, and the sight of it stirred my blood as I remembered our passionate lovemaking from earlier in the night.

It had been a wonderful, amazing experience that we'd shared, and I felt closer to Jessie than I had before. We were part of each other now. What had happened between us tonight made me more determined to save her than ever, even though I still wasn't sure how to do it. She had promised me she wouldn't enter the pillar, but I knew I couldn't rely on that alone. If the dreams were true, something was going to happen up there, something so dark and terrible that breaking her promise to me was the only way she could see to stop it.

I shivered, not wanting to know what could possibly cause Jessie to do that but at the same time needing to know so I could find some way to protect her. I didn't want to lose her, especially not now, not after all we'd done and shared together in the past two days. The thought of her dying up there in the tower like she had in the dream, lying in my arms as her life faded away, was like a knife in my heart.

Laying down again, I slid up next to Jessie, putting an arm around her and laying the other one atop the pillow. I needed to have her near me at that moment, to feel her alive and strong. As I put my hand over hers, I pressed her lightly against me, seeing again in my mind the fire, devastation, and death that had haunted my sleep the past two nights. I couldn't let it happen. I couldn't.

Jessie stirred after a minute or so, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "Hey, there, handsome. Trouble sleeping?"

"Bad dream," I sighed.

"Wanna talk about it?" she asked, turning over to face me.

I took her fully into my arms and held her there as she snuggled up to me, her head on my shoulder. "No. Just stay close to me."

"Always," Jessie promised.

We lay together like that for a while, and I could feel her heart as it beat strongly and steadily in her chest, a welcome reminder of just how alive she still was. The warmth of Jessie's body felt good, but even with her there, sliding her hand lightly over my chest in little circles, my fear and doubt still lingered. Dreaming of her death a second time in just as many nights had shaken me.

The touch of her mouth on mine stirred me from my thoughts, her moist lips filling me with warmth. I buried my hand in Jessie's hair and returned the kiss, glad for her company tonight. If I'd been alone when I'd had that dream, I don't know what I would've done. Her lips locked and unlocked with mine, slowly, tenderly, softly, not backing away but not pushing forward, either.

She was letting me set the pace, I realized. If I wanted more, it was there, but if I didn't, she was fine with that, too. Jessie had caught on to my mood effortlessly. We lay there together, our hands resting on each other's faces as our mouths touched and moved against each other ever so lightly until our eyes opened and met again.

"You know," Jessie whispered. "I have something to help you relax. If you're up for it, that is."

I sighed. "Not sure I'd be good right now."

She stroked my cheek. "And that's why you need it, SOLDIER boy. You let me handle this, alright?"

"Sure," I agreed. "Thanks, Jessie."

"Anytime, Cloud," she touched her lips to mine. "Now you just get comfy and let me take all your cares away."

Knowing exactly what she meant, I rolled onto my back as she got up and settled herself on top of me, a soft moan escaping her lips when she was firmly in place. Despite how I'd doubted my ability to perform in my current state, my body had responded hungrily to her touch and her kisses and was more than ready for her.

Before she began to move, Jessie leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on my mouth. "Don't hold back, okay? Just let it all out. Rest in me for a while. I'll be your shelter from the storm."

I nodded, and she sat up again as my hands reached for her chest. I held onto her as she started moving, slowly at first to get us going. But then she started picking up speed, mewling in delight at the sensations rolling through her as I kneaded and rubbed and the pressure built up inside me. I groaned, moving along with her now as my fingers drifted around to her back before going further down, guiding her movements but not controlling them. Jessie had free reign over me.

As I went faster and faster, she kept up without a hitch, her hands flat on my chest as her own shook and her head tilted back. I felt some of her long auburn hair brush against my fingers as it bounced around her with every move she made. When her grip on me tightened almost painfully and her cries began to escalate both in pitch and volume, I sat up, still moving, enfolded her in my arms, and began exchanging kisses with her, our lips and tongues melding together.

Jessie clamped her legs around my waist as she kept moving, and I knew she was close. I wasn't that far off, either, and as our passion drew near the edge, the feel of it all, of Jessie and the things she was doing to me, blotted out everything else from my mind. I felt as if I was floating, carrying her with me, and I pushed myself into her even faster, as if by bringing us to the summit and breaking past that threshold, I could rip my doubts and fears away.

I lost myself in Jessie, clinging tightly to her as she clung to me, our mouths closing firmly over each other and our voices growing in pitch and volume the closer we got to the brink. The fire she was bringing to me was a blazing affirmation of life, which she'd carefully nurtured and grown within her until it was ready to burst.

Seconds later, it did.

Jessie whipped her head back, a long, loud cry escaping her lips as her body twitched and spasmed and her nails dug into my shoulders. I heard her say something like my name just a moment before my brain imploded and I followed after her, my voice almost a match for hers as I let loose inside her before I could even think to pull her off me. Jessie brought her lips crashing into mine as we held onto each other, and we shared one passionate kiss after another as we trembled in the throes of release and didn't let go until it was over.

"Jessica…" I panted, as out of breath as she was.

She smiled. "Looks like… you did just fine… SOLDIER boy…"

I pulled her gently back down to the pillows with me, keeping her in my arms as we laid there together. "Thanks. I guess you were right. I needed that after all."

"Feel better now?" Jessie curled up against me.

"Yeah," I said. "A little. Sorry I didn't get out in time, though. That's twice now. I hope it won't, uh… complicate things."

Jessie playfully tapped my nose. "It'll be fine, don't worry."

"You sure?" I asked.

She laughed. "Yep. I, um… picked up a bottle of morning after pills from the store a few days ago. Just in case."

I smirked. "You _do_ plan ahead."

"I like to be ready for anything," Jessie teased.

"No kidding," I agreed.

She took a long, deep breath, let it out, and brushed her lips across my cheek. "Nothing like fantastic sex with a cute and horny redhead to cure whatever ails ya. Am I right?"

"As rain," I said. "What about you?"

Jessie winked. "Me? Blond spikes and bright baby blues."

I kissed her. "Did it help?"

"Some," she sighed. "But the truth is, the pain'll come back, sooner or later. It always does."

"I'll listen if you wanna talk," I told her.

Jessie nestled her head against my shoulder. "Another time, Cloud. I just want to enjoy tonight, okay?"

I nodded. "Sure. Me too."

"Well, I guess we'd better some sleep," she yawned. "Mind being my pillow? You're just so cozy…"

"Thought I already was," I nudged her closer to me.

Jessie giggled. "Smart boy! Now, off to sleep with ya. And don't you worry. I'll keep those bad dreams away."

After sharing one more kiss with her, I let my eyes slide closed as I listened to her breathing grow softer and more regular. The sound was almost hypnotic, gradually lulling me to sleep as I laid there on my side with Jessie still wrapped in my arms, the gentle weight of her body like an anchor that kept me grounded and secure.

When I slept, I didn't dream again.

* * *

After meeting at the bar in the morning and having some breakfast together, we all headed downstairs for the meeting. Marlene went with us, playing with her dolls while we sat at the conference table. I'd made an extra pot of coffee to bring with us since not everyone seemed to be entirely awake, myself included. It was early, just before 8:00, so I didn't really blame them. I'd always liked being up at this hour, but I wouldn't have minded us having the meeting later, either.

Across from me, Wedge yawned as he munched on his third round of toast, and beside him, Biggs sipped his coffee while I took a drink of my own, its warmth and sweetness filling my belly. He preferred his to be black, but I liked cream and sugar in mine. Plain just didn't suit me, I guess. When our eyes met and we exchanged a smile, I felt a butterfly float lazily in my stomach.

Lena sat next to Wedge, having insisted on being here, if only to be a support to him and her brother. She shared my misgivings about the bombings but also our hatred of Shinra. Biggs had tried to keep her out of the meeting at first in order to protect her from any potential fallout that might come at us because of our activities, but she hadn't budged. In the end, he'd given up, though he still wasn't happy about it. Wedge, predictably, had come in on her side.

Next to me was Jessie with her own steaming mug of coffee sitting in front of her. She couldn't seem to stop smiling, and she let out a soft little giggle every so often whenever she would glance toward Cloud. It was cute, and I knew well enough what it meant. He hadn't come back to the bar last night but had stayed with her again, and while she hadn't said anything about it, I'd have bet good money that Cloud hadn't slept on the floor this time. The happy glow on Jessie's face was practically a dead giveaway. She could've lit up the whole sector.

Cloud sat on her other side, and I was happy he had joined us this time instead of keeping to himself by the wall like he usually did. It felt like he was really starting to become part of the group. No doubt Jessie had a hand in that, but I like to think I did, too. His face was, as always, expressionless for the most part, but every now and then when his gaze fell on Jessie, his eyes would soften ever so slightly.

At one end of the table stood Barret, and once the rest of us had all settled in, he got our attention. "Awright, people. Next mission's comin' up soon. We hittin' Mako Reactor 5 in five days. Got some preppin' we need to do in the meantime, though. Puttin' the bomb together, gettin' the layouts, that sorta thing. Jessie?"

She nodded. "I've got some C4 and other stuff left over from when I made the bomb for the first mission, but I'll still have to get hold of a new chip. I'll need it to make the next one work, especially considering what I'm planning to do with it."

"What've you got in mind?" Cloud asked.

"Back in Reactor 1, we had to run our asses off to escape the blast. I don't wanna go through that again, and I don't think anyone else here does, either. So I'm gonna make this one with a remote detonator. That way we can set it off after we leave."

Barret grinned. "Damn good idea, Jessie!"

"You're not thinkin' of knockin' off some other gang, are ya?" Biggs grimaced. "That didn't turn out out too well with Vice."

"No, I'm not," Jessie shook her head.

He sighed in relief. "Good. So where are you gettin' it?"

Jessie smirked. "We've got a much bigger target this time. There's a large Shinra warehouse on the Sector 7 plate. It's a storage facility for a lot of their weapons and technology. I was going to get the chip for the first reactor from there before I found out that Vice had one, but since they're history, the warehouse is our best bet."

"You gotta be shittin' me," Biggs gaped. "You _do_ know those places are guarded by like, a small army, right?"

"Which is why you guys are gonna be my decoys," she winked.

Wedge blinked. "Say again?"

Barret took over. "While Jessie an' Cloud slip into the warehouse to steal that chip, the three of us'll keep them Shinra dogs busy out front, cause enough ruckus to buy Jessie time to find what she's lookin' for an' get the hell outta there. Cloud, you watch her back jus' in case she runs into any trouble on the inside."

"Done," he agreed, folding his arms in front of him.

"While I'm in there," Jessie went on. "I'm also gonna see what I can find in the main computer. It should have direct access to the network, and by going in from one of Shinra's own systems, it should be easier to find us the blueprints for Reactor 5."

Cloud nodded. "When are we going?"

"Tonight. Shinra hasn't updated their security scanners yet, so our ID's should still be good. We'll take the 9:00 train to get up to the plate. The warehouse shouldn't be as heavily guarded at that hour. And after we've got what we need from there, we'll meet up at a vacant lot nearby, slip back to the station, and take the next train home."

"Last train leaves at 10:00," Barret reminded us. "So we'd best be on it. Don't want none of ya gettin' left behind. Soon as Jessie sends us the signal, we'll fall back to the station."

Biggs glanced at him. "What's the signal?"

Taking a sip of her coffee, Jessie explained. "A flare. I'll send one up as soon as Cloud and I are in position. And after we're done, I'll fire off another to let you guys know."

"Understood. Thought only Shinra employees could get into those places, though. Least that's what I've heard."

"You're right, Biggs," Jessie looked at her mug. "But it's okay."

Wedge scratched his chin. "You sure, Jessie?"

She sighed. "Yeah. I… I can get us in. Don't worry about it. I know what I've gotta do."

"Gonna hack your way in there?" Barret asked.

"Something like that," Jessie looked up, put her smile back in place, and wagged her finger. "Just leave it to me! I _am_ our resident computer genius, after all. I can fool the ID check easily enough."

What was bothering her? I hadn't missed how smoothly Jessie had changed her mood. She'd been an actress, and although the mention of needing a Shinra employee to get into the warehouse had momentarily caught her off guard, she had recovered quickly, slipping on a cheerful mask to hide the pain the subject had caused her.

"Good enough," Barret rumbled. "After we get tonight's work done, we'll start hashin' out a more detailed plan for our attack on Reactor 5. Any questions, people?"

"I want in," Lena insisted.

Biggs and Wedge both gaped at her. "What!?"

She looked right back at them, her hazel eyes firm. "You heard me. I want to go with you guys to the warehouse."

"No way!" Biggs argued. "It's bad enough you're even here!"

"And it's too dangerous!" Wedge added.

Lena shot to her feet, both hands gripping the table. "In case you've forgotten, I'm not some helpless twit! I can handle myself in a fight. I'm just as good a shot with a gun as you are, Biggs. Not to mention all the hand-to-hand skills you've taught me."

Barret gazed thoughtfully at her. "What's your angle, girl?"

"You know Biggs and I grew up down here. Wasn't easy, especially after Mom died and we got put in the orphanage. All we've had is each other. I didn't know what you guys were really doing until recently, and I know why he tried to keep me out of it at first. But I can't just sit here while the two men I care about most in the world are risking their lives to make things better for everyone."

"We just didn't want you getting hurt," Wedge took her hand. "It's a guy thing, you know."

She smiled at him. "I do, Wedge."

I knew exactly how she felt. "You sure about this, Lena?"

"Positive," she answered. "I've been in my share of scrapes with the local monsters. They lurk around the outskirts of Sector 5 just like they do here, and I spend time taking them out when I'm not working over at the orphanage. And I've got a bone to pick with Shinra as well. They let Mom get sick and die because they won't do a thing about the mako fumes, so I've been itching for some payback."

Barret nodded. "Awright. Consider yourself in."

"Thanks!" Lena grinned.

"Welcome aboard!" Jessie laughed. "It's nice to have another girl in the group. Gotta even the odds, you know."

Lena sat back down. "Glad to tip the balance, Jessie."

"Consider it tipped!" she giggled.

"We're happy to have you with us, Lena," I smiled. "No matter what that no good brother of yours says."

"Thanks, Tifa," she chuckled. "I'll do my part, I promise."

Biggs sighed. "You sure about this?"

Lena smirked and gave his shoulder a light punch. "Completely. I'll be fine, Biggs. You worry too much."

"About you? No shit. You're my baby sister, Lena."

"Not a baby anymore," she pointed out.

He glanced from her to Wedge. "Ain't that the truth…"

"Relax!" Lena said. "I'll bring you boys back home safe and sound. I guarantee it. It'll be just like the Train Graveyard!"

"Oh, not that…" Biggs muttered.

I raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter?"

He glanced at his sister for a moment, then explained. "Lena and I used to play there when we were kids. All the time. Drove Mom crazy, back when she was still alive. That place was creepy as hell. Still is, you know. Anyway, we'd sneak in through the fence by the train station late at night, lookin' for ghosts and such."

"I loved it," Lena continued. "It was like candy to me. So much fun crawling into the abandoned cars to see what was there. Biggs wasn't as into it as I was, though. It always scared him. But not me. Until one day when I was seven, that is."

"What happened?" I asked.

Biggs shivered. "We got separated. Damn place was dark except for an eerie blue glow here and there. Quiet, too. I called out for her, but at first she didn't answer. Then I did hear her, but she sounded strange, as if it she were talking all slow and spooky, you know? So I followed her, or at least what I thought was her. Even saw something that looked like her, leading me further inside."

"Whoa…" Jessie breathed. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. Was climbin' inside one of the empty cars toward the ruined station house when Lena—the real Lena—suddenly came runnin' over from the other side of the tracks like mad and pulled at me just as a fog swirled over everything. I couldn't move, though. I was scared shitless. And at first, she couldn't either. But after a moment, she snapped out of it, grabbed my arm, and got me movin'. We hauled ass through the mist and across the graveyard as fast as we could."

All of us were listening intently, even Cloud, as Lena took over. "It was cold as we ran, like ice in the air, which was strange because it had been a pretty warm night before we had gone in there. I'd wanted to see some ghosts, and Biggs had tagged along to keep me out of trouble. As it turned out, though, _I_ was the one who ended up saving _him_. We had run off in the right direction, but as we moved, we saw a swarm of dark shapes, like blobs with arms, behind us."

"They flew like a wind from hell," Biggs said. "I can still remember it clear as day. Cloaks, three fingers on each hand. Never did get a look at their faces, if they had any. Damn glad for that, though. Anyway, me and Lena finally got back to the fence and dove right through the hole we'd made in it earlier to get inside the graveyard in the first place. The ghosts or whatever the hell they were didn't follow us, but me and Lena kept on running all the way back to Sector 5. After that, we never went back to the Train Graveyard again."

"I can see why," I shuddered. "It would've scared me, too."

Biggs nodded. "Lena saved my ass that day, Tif. If she hadn't shown up when she did, I'd have probably gone further into the graveyard and never been heard from again."

Barret let out a low whistle. "I'd heard stories about the place, but I thought they was bullshit, people jus' tryin' to get attention. That sorta thing. Think they might be true after all?"

"Maybe," Lena reflected. "I don't know. But in any case, _something's_ in there. Something very strange…"

I swallowed, not liking the sound of that. I'd passed that eerie place dozens of times in the years that I'd lived in Midgar, and I'd never liked it. It felt… old, otherworldly, and as Biggs had said, creepy. Fortunately, I didn't think I'd have to worry about ever getting stuck in there trying to find my way out. There wasn't anything that could've possibly gotten me to set foot inside the Train Graveyard.

At least, not yet.


	22. TWENTY-ONE

## TWENTY-ONE

Later that night, the six of us crouched behind the wall outside the Shinra warehouse. Jessie and I were in our normal gear again, Buster in its usual place on my back. Lena was wearing a short-sleeved gray top, black shorts with a matching leather belt, gloves that went nearly to her elbows, and a pair of sturdy, knee-high brown boots. At her hip hung a loaded handgun similar to the one Biggs used.

Barret pointed along the wall, showing the way Jessie and I were to go, and we both nodded. Exchanging a determined glance, we hurried quietly away from the others and around the perimeter of the complex. A few minutes later, we reached the other side of the warehouse. There was a back entrance here along with some loading bays. The place was, as Jessie had said, huge. A storage facility located near the boundary in between Sectors 7 and 6. Also known as the 7-6 Annex.

No one was outside except for a pair of bored Shinra guards. They never even saw us coming. Jessie winked, tossed another smoke bomb to mask our approach, and darted in. I followed her, drawing Buster as I ran. We moved quickly and quietly, taking down the stunned soldiers before they even knew what was happening.

By the time the smoke had cleared away, it was over and the guards lay unconscious on the ground. While I dragged them out of sight and swiped a few potions from their pockets, Jessie moved to the middle of the enclosed area, took a flare out of her belt, lit it, and sent it shooting up into the gloomy night sky. It was a streak of bright, white fumes that the others would clearly see from the front of the warehouse. Satisfied, Jessie met me at the back door.

She took out a Shinra ID card and swiped it through the reader by the lock. There was a beep, and the light fixed above the nearby keypad changed from red to yellow as a message scrolled across a small screen next to the keypad, asking for an authorization code. Jessie punched in a long sequence of numbers and letters, and when she was done, there was another chime as the light finally turned green and the door hissed open. I glanced her as she put the card away.

"How'd you know?" I asked.

Jessie's laugh was more sad than funny. "My employee access code. It still works after all these years. You'd think Shinra would've erased it or deactivated it by now, but they haven't. That's bureaucracy for ya. It's come in handy for me quite a few times."

I didn't doubt it. "Think they'll ever catch on?"

"Dunno. Probably, sooner or later. So I take advantage of it while I still can, you know? All mid-level and higher Shinra employees get one of these codes to let them enter certain places around the city. Like the reactors, warehouses, and different floors in the Shinra Building itself. The higher up you are, the more places you can go."

"And how high were you?" I wondered.

Jessie looked away. "Pretty high…"

I wasn't surprised. To get into a place like this, she probably had to have been. Before we could talk more about it, though, we both looked up as the sounds of battle—shouts, explosions, weapons fire—suddenly filled the air. It was coming from the front of the warehouse, where the others were keeping the Shinra forces occupied.

"That's our cue," Jessie whispered, drawing her gun.

I met her determined gaze. "Ready?"

She grinned. "You bet, SOLDIER boy. Let's get this done."

The entrance to the warehouse stood open in front of us. We could see a short but brightly-lit hall with other doors on either side and also one at the far end. Far overhead, the moon was full, its pale light filling the area with its soft glow. Buster in hand, I took one last look around, then followed Jessie into the 7-6 Annex.

* * *

"Eat it, you Shinra punks!" I yelled.

We was in the big courtyard in fronta the warehouse causin' a good loud ruckus. Soon as we'd seen that flare go up, we'd moved right in an' made sure them Shinra soldiers saw us. There was a bunch of 'em here, an' they was all around us tryin' to take us down. Wasn't gonna happen, though. Me an' my gun-arm would see to that.

I sprayed the troops ahead of me with a wide fana lead, an' they all fell down like a buncha bowlin' pins. Biggs an' Lena held off the ones to either side while Wedge cooked the soldiers that had tried to cut us off from behind, his flamethrower an' rifle combo keepin' our backs clear. I motioned to the others, an' we ran on ahead.

Didn't seem to be an end to them soldiers, though. More of 'em jus' kept on comin' outta the warehouse, shoutin' at us to stand down. Like hell we would. Some of the troops had those big riot shields an' batons instead of their guns, an' others started tossin' some grenades at us. Not good. I decided to focus on 'em first.

"Spread out!" I ordered the others. "Draw 'em apart an' pick 'em off a few at a time. An' mind them grenades!"

They did as I'd said, scattering to different parts of the courtyard so we'd be harder targets and not all clustered together in one place. Lena ran off to the right, droppin' to one knee an' shootin' her gun at the two troopers ahead of her. She was a dead shot, takin' 'em down quick, then jumpin' right back to her feet an' backhandin' a third soldier across the face with the barrel of her gun. Another one tried to rush her, but Lena jus' sidestepped, shoved her knee into his gut, then threw him onto the ground before movin' to her next target.

Biggs took the left, shootin' his own handgun an' takin' out soldiers left an' right. If any got close enough, he showed 'em their mistake with his fists. A couple of them riot troopers closed in on him, but we knew how to handle them types. Biggs reached into the lil' bag on his belt an' took out a couple small black discs.

They was explosives, one of Jessie's concoctions that she'd made for him. After depressin' the armin' switch on each one, Biggs rolled 'em at them riot troopers, then dove for cover. The fools didn't have a clue or a chance, an' the explosions took 'em both out.

Wedge fell back, sprayin' flames at the cluster of soldiers rushin' in from the gate. Then he switched his gun to rifle mode an' started firin' bullets an' addin' an occasional grenade of his own, keepin' 'em pinned down for a good long while so the rest of us could focus on the soldiers in front of us an' finish 'em off.

As for me, I concentrated on takin' down those grenade troops fast as I could. Runnin' outta the way of a blast, I opened up, shootin' them suckers down one after another and runnin' circles 'round 'em to make it harder for 'em to hit me. Soon they was all down, an' I got to work on the leftovers while the others did the same.

We'd just cleared out the last of 'em when suddenly a loud whirrin' sound cut through air, an' several missile turrets rose up from outta the high ledges on either side of the courtyard's inner wall. An' at the same time, a door in one corner opened up, spillin' out a buncha grunts that came runnin' right for us fast as lightnin'.

"Biggs! Lena!" I called. "Take out them turrets! Wedge, you're with me! We'll handle the grunts."

"Right with ya, boss!" Wedge said, joinin' me.

Biggs saluted. "We got this!"

Lena waved, grinned, and nodded. "Yeah! What he said!"

While she an' Biggs ran off the deal with the turrets, me an' Wedge started layin' into them grunts, shootin 'em down as they came at us. It wasn't easy what with how fast they were, an' we had to keep movin' to stay outta the way of the energy bolts they was firin' at us. A few of 'em nicked my arms, but nothin' serious.

There was a sudden boom from up above as Lena took out the first turret on her side, then Biggs got one himself a moment later. That left two more for each of 'em. The grunts that was left jumped left an' right as they swiped their claws at me an' Wedge, catchin' him on the leg but luckily not goin' deep. He came back with his flamethrower, sweepin' a nice big arc of flame across the whole lot of 'em while I showered them bastards with a rain of bullets.

Jus' as we thought it was over an' the last of the grunts went down, another gate slid open amidst all the alarms, an' a large pack of Shinra's tentacled, black-furred guard dogs charged out at us into the courtyard along with a few bloodhounds. Those was like the guard hounds, only they had red fur an' were tougher an' meaner.

"Shit!" I swore. "Ain't no end to these guys, is there?"

"Think they'd like a bone?" Wedge asked.

I snorted. "Yours, maybe! So stay sharp, Wedge, 'less you wanna be on the menu tonight!"

"Yeah. I'd rather _eat_ dinner than _be_ dinner!"

Sayin' that, he yanked a grenade off his belt, pulled out the pin, an' tossed it into the pack before they reached us. We ran fast as we could, fallin' back toward the main gate an' away from the dogs, an' only a few seconds later, the blast took out half of 'em with a buncha startled yelps an' barks. The rest kept comin' at us.

Jus' then, Biggs threw down another turret, crushin' a few of them hounds, while Lena shot down a few more from her perch on the ledge after trashin' another turret on her side. Almost there. Noticin' that the heat gauge on my gun-arm was almost full, I grinned an' poured more lead into the hounds. A few seconds later, the light on the side changed from green to red jus' as one of them bloodhounds jumped right at me, its sharp teeth bared. It was go time.

"Bringin' the heat, you ugly son of a bitch!" I smirked.

I braced myself as a super hot ball of orange fire formed at the end of the barrel as the gun-arm discharged the excess heat in one massive blast. Then I yelled and shot it into the bloodhound, blowin' it apart in a shower of burnin' dog flesh an' smoke.

Between me an' Wedge, we took out the rest of the hounds without too much trouble while Biggs an' Lena threw down the last two turrets. They got back down to the courtyard an' joined us jus' as another set of doors opened. These was huge, on either side of the warehouse's inner entrance, an' from 'em marched half a dozen sweepers along with more Shinra soldiers, their rifles held ready.

Biggs brought up his gun an' took aim. "If we get outta this alive, I swear I'm gonna kill Jessie!"

"Take a damn number!" I growled. "Let's go!"

* * *

Alarms blared all around us as we snuck through the warehouse. I motioned for Jessie to wait, and we flattened ourselves against the wall while another squad of soldiers ran past the hallway we were hiding in. More reinforcements for the forces that were already in the courtyard. I hoped Barret and the others could hold out.

When the way was clear, Jessie and I hurried further down the hall until we reached another storage room. We had searched several so far, but with no luck, and this place had dozens. How were we supposed to find this chip? We couldn't stay here much longer, and we'd already had a few close calls. Time was running out.

"Hmm…" Jessie said. "This looks promising."

This room, unlike others we'd searched, was full of computer parts. All kinds and all sizes. If the chip was anywhere, it would be here. She'd told me what it looked like, so we split up and got to work. I looked on the right side while Jessie took the left. It took us a few minutes, longer than I would've liked, but then as I was shuffling through a shelf full of components and circuit boards, we hit paydirt.

Jessie held it up as I turned around. "Yes! Found it!"

"About time," I said. "You know where the control room's at? We've still gotta get the blueprints."

"Way ahead of you, SOLDIER boy. Follow me!"

She raced back into the hall just in time to get spotted by a pair of guards, likely stragglers on their way to catch up with the others. They immediately brought up their rifles as two more soldiers charged at us from the other end of the hall. Jessie skidded to a halt and whipped out her gun as I caught up to her, Buster in hand.

I grimaced as we stood back to back. "Next time, I go first."

"Sure, but you'd be lost without me!" she laughed.

Not wasting a second, I brought up Buster just in time to block the shots from the new arrivals while Jessie started shooting at the others. I ran in and hit one of the guards with a series of three quick slashes that left him dead on the floor. Jessie took out another one a moment later, peppering him with bullets, then passed her gun to her left hand while she lifted her right, concentrating on the Lightning materia in the iron bangle she wore on her arm.

While I impaled the third guard with a quick forward thrust, Jessie threw her hand out toward the last soldier, and a sizzling blue finger of electricity flew into him, slamming him in the chest and throwing him halfway down the hall. He didn't get up, and the air was filled with the smell of ozone and burnt flesh.

Jessie was ecstatic. "I did it, Cloud! I did it!"

"We'll celebrate later," I said, shouldering Buster. "Right now, we've gotta move. But… good job."

She and I had spent some time earlier that afternoon training with her new gear. After showing her how to fit the materia into the slot, I'd taken her behind the _Seventh Heaven,_ where there was plenty of space, and we had set up a few practice targets with assorted bits of junk from the nearby scrap piles.

Then I'd begun teaching Jessie how to use her materia. You've gotta concentrate on the magic and block out everything else. Doesn't mean you close your eyes, because you're dead if you do that in a fight. More like you clear your mind. Then you focus on your target and call upon the magic. All there is to it.

At first, she'd struggled to get the proper focus—using magic takes a lot of mental effort. But eventually, she'd been able to hit a few of our mock targets with blasts of lighting. She hadn't been able to cast a lot of spells before tiring out, though. It wasn't her fault, she just didn't have a lot of experience yet. Using magic drains your energy.

Jessie had gotten some rest before tonight's mission, as I'd told her, so she'd been ready to go when we left. Once she'd fought more battles and gotten more used to it all, she'd be able to start using her magic for longer stretches at a time. She was smart and a quick learner, so I knew she'd do fine once she got used to it.

Jessie grinned. "Thanks! Had me a good teacher. Cute, too."

"Just keep track of how much you use it," I said. "I'd guess you have enough energy left for three, maybe four spells."

"Right," she agreed. "Control room's this way. Let's go!"

She pointed down the hall, and we hurried down it until we found a locked door at the end. Jessie used her card and access code to get us in, then went right to the central computer console and started tapping keys. I watched as she sped through the system, going from one screen to another until she found the blueprints.

Jessie smirked. "Gotcha! Now to copy the files…"

Reaching into her belt pouch, she took out her tablet, turned it on, and then downloaded the blueprints to it. But while she was starting to back out of the system, she suddenly frowned as something caught her attention on the screen. Looked like another file, but I wasn't sure what was so special about it.

"Project Firestorm?" she read. "This is new…"

I glanced at her. "Is it important? We've got what we came for."

Jessie nodded. "I think so. It's heavily encrypted, and the file size is awfully large. Could be diagrams or readouts of some kind. Some new secret plan Shinra's cooking up, maybe. Only one way to know for sure. I'll take it with us and try to crack into it later."

After she had copied the file to her tablet, we left the control room and sped back the way we'd come. But when we got within sight of the hallway leading to the rear exit, alarms blaring in our ears, we found an entire platoon of soldiers waiting for us, too many to fight. They'd been sent to secure the rear entrance, I supposed. But luckily, they had their backs to us. Guess they didn't know we were in here.

"Shit!" Jessie hissed as we ducked back around the corner. "Change of plan! We'll have to go out front!"

I nodded. "No choice. Let's move!"

We took off, hurrying through the halls and keeping our eyes open for any other troops, but there weren't any. Seemed like Barret and the others had drawn them away just as we'd planned. After a few minutes, Jessie and I raced up a set of stairs and entered a huge storage bay with a high ceiling. We emerged onto a suspended catwalk just above a line of deactivated sweepers, and through three huge open doorways along the front wall, we were able to catch a glimpse of the fighting going on outside in the courtyard. And it wasn't good.

"They're surrounded!" Jessie swore.

I drew Buster. "Then let's break 'em loose!"

She grabbed my arm. "Wait! I've got an idea! This way!"

I followed her to the nearest sweeper, wondering just what she had in mind. Laughing to herself, Jessie climbed onto the rail of the catwalk and jumped down on top of the sweeper. Then, as she crouched down, she took a screwdriver from her belt, removed a panel at the back, and started fiddling with the internal circuitry.

"Now…" she said. "All I gotta do is a little rewiring, and I'll be able to reprogram this baby to attack the Shinra forces outside instead of us. And… got it! Better hop on, Cloud! It's powering up!"

I jumped down onto the sweeper behind her. "Sure you know what you're doing, Jessie?"

She shook her head. "Nope! But that's half the fun!"

Before I could stop her, Jessie stood up and leaped over to the next sweeper. It was standing to our right, and she landed on the arm before clambering up to the top and quickly reprogramming it like she'd done the first one. When she was finished, she drew her gun and sat down as both sweepers moved toward the warehouse doors.

The sounds of gunfire and screams were everywhere as we entered the courtyard, our sweepers thudding beneath us with each step. I saw the others fighting furiously, but they were pinned down on all sides by the Shinra soldiers and half a dozen enemy sweepers. They hadn't seen us yet, and it didn't take long for us to close the distance.

Jessie thrust her arm out above her and cheered. "Never fear, guys! The cavalry's here! _CHARGE!"_

Our sweepers opened fire just a second later, catching the soldiers completely off guard, shooting down a whole squad and blowing apart two enemy mechs before they even realized what was going on. While they were confused and disoriented, I readied Buster and leaped off my sweeper and into the fray, cutting down more soldiers in a broad slash when I landed. Jessie took aim and shot several more of them, as sharp and deadly as her mount.

"Jessie!?" Biggs' eyes widened. "What the hell are you doin'!?"

She giggled. "What's it look like? I'm saving your ass, Biggs! Get to the exit and get outta here!"

Barret motioned to the others. "You heard her, guys! Move it!"

They fell back, cutting right through the troops between them and the gate without much difficulty now that Jessie and I were keeping the rest of the Shinra forces focused on us. As her sweeper began to buckle under fire from the enemy, she took two grenades from her belt pouch, pulled the pins with her teeth, and threw both raspberries at the swath of soldiers to either side. Then she ran to the front of her mech, leaped off, and hit the ground running.

The explosions hurled the troopers like rag dolls and blew up both her mech and another enemy sweeper that had been closing on it. As I helped Jessie to her feet, we saw a fourth sweeper closing on us fast. We exchanged a determined glance, knowing exactly what to do, and then we both concentrated on our materia.

Seconds later, we each hit the sweeper with a bolt of lightning, and it crumpled and exploded as we ducked to avoid the debris. Before the smoke had cleared, Jessie and I ran after the others toward the exit. But it was closing fast, the massive gate starting to slide shut even as we all raced toward it. And just behind us, the remaining soldiers had started to regroup and were closing in on us.

I whirled around to face them, cutting down one and then another as Jessie and the rest broke for the gate behind me. Between slashing at the soldiers and blocking gunfire with Buster, I kept them tied up. But as I fell back and the others started running through the gate, I glanced over at them. First at Jessie, then Barret.

"Get her outta here!" I ordered. "I'll hold 'em off!"

He took her arm. "Will do, Spike!"

Jessie reached desperately for me as Barret pulled her through. The gate was almost closed. "No! Cloud! You've gotta come with us!"

"No time!" I said, cutting down another guard.

With a snarl, Jessie tore herself free of Barret's grasp and dove back inside the courtyard. "Then I'm not leaving!"

"Jessie!" Barret yelled.

But it was too late. Just as she got to her feet, the gate slid shut with a deep metal bang. The others had managed to escape, but Jessie and I were still in here along with at least a dozen Shinra soldiers and the last two sweepers. As we stood next to each other and braced ourselves for another attack, I glanced at her.

"What were you thinking!?" I snapped.

Jessie took aim at the nearest soldier. "We made a promise, Cloud. Remember? We stick together, no matter what."

I nodded. "Yeah. I just…"

"I know. But I'm not gonna leave you behind."

"Then let's clear us a path outta here," I told her. "Come on!"

I charged at the soldiers, slashing down any in my way while Jessie followed behind me, firing her gun and tossing the occasional grenade. We kept moving, heading back toward the warehouse itself. There was only one other way out of this place, and we both knew it. As she threw another lightning bolt at one of the sweepers, she called to me, voicing the plan I'd already had in mind.

"Back door?" she said.

I left a squad of soldiers on the ground with a quick string of broad slices, Buster a blur of motion. "Yeah. The way we came in."

She shot at the sweeper. "What about the welcoming committee?"

"We rush 'em," I said. "Take 'em by surprise."

"Good enough for me!" Jessie agreed.

As we got close to the warehouse, she stopped, turning around just long enough to throw both a raspberry and a smoke bomb back at the remaining soldiers that were still chasing us. Then we raced inside just as they went off, fire and thunder erupting behind us amidst the din of screams and shouts that followed.

"How's your ammo?" I asked as we ran up a set of metal stairs back to the suspended catwalk.

Jessie grimaced. "Getting low. Only one spell left, too."

I'd figured as much. "Hold onto it. We'll blast our way through the troops at the back door."

After we reached the catwalk, we were rushing across it toward the doorway that would lead us out when Jessie paused on the landing just outside it, stopping to take a look at a few large, dark rectangular cases that had been stacked against the nearby wall. When she read the label, she grinned and let out a squeal of delight.

"What is it?" I wondered.

Jessie bounced on her feet. "The way home, Cloud! Gimme a hand with this! Trust me!"

Together, we managed to pull down the topmost container and put it on the floor. When Jessie opened it up, giggling with excitement, she pointed at what was inside. Two black leather backpacks, or something that looked like them. When I read the label myself, I understood why Jessie was in such a giddy mood.

"Parachutes?" I asked.

"Yep! They're made for pairs, so we'll only need one. I'm sure we've missed the train by now, so we'll jump off the plate and fly down to the slums! It'll be great! _And_ romantic!"

She took one of the backpacks and put it on, then we sped through the doorway and headed down another staircase and through the halls, ignoring the other doors on either side, until we came to the back exit. The soldiers were still there, same as earlier. Their backs were still to us as we flattened ourselves against the wall around the corner.

I crept across the hall to the other corner, drew Buster, then looked back at Jessie. We didn't have to take them all down, there were far too many for that. All we had to do was scatter them long enough for us to rush past them and escape.

I nodded to Jessie, and she nodded back. Then we both focused on our magic and spun around to face the soldiers. Once Jessie had gotten their attention, we struck the two nearest us with sizzling blue forks of electricity before charging into the crowd together, Buster and her gun clearing us a path as we went.

Jessie kept her head down as she and I ran to the exit, bullets flying through the air. She was right behind me as I swept soldiers aside with Buster, and a moment later, we raced outside. We didn't stop, though. It was too dangerous, and the remaining soldiers had started to chase us. We hurried around the perimeter until we found ourselves back at the front of the warehouse in front of the closed gate. It was the same place where we'd started this whole mission.

We didn't have time to catch our breath, though. The soldiers were closing fast, shooting as they ran. Jessie pointed down the street we had come from earlier, and we took off, hiding behind a row of parked cars as we went. Glass shattered as the guards kept on firing, and we ducked down as we ran, Jessie shrieking and throwing her arms over her head as she was showered in a rain of broken glass.

"You okay?" I asked.

She brushed the glass off of her. "Yeah. Just scared me a little."

I sighed in relief. "Good. Don't worry me like that."

"Wouldn't hear of it!" Jessie smirked. Then she led me to a nearby door as the soldiers' weapons fire got closer. "This way, Cloud! Hurry! Once we're through here, we're home free."

I followed her into a what looked like a maintenance area. After we were both inside, Jessie quickly shut the door, locked it, and pulled out her mini blowtorch. Then she got to work welding the door closed as I shouldered Buster and watched. It took a few minutes, sparks flying as she carefully sealed the lock and shielded her eyes with her other hand. But then, before long, she was done.

"There!" she said, putting her blowtorch away. "It'll take 'em quite a while to get through all that."

I agreed. "Then let's mosey."

With Jessie leading the way, we jogged down the open pathway to a set of suspended platforms overlooking the slums, our boots thudding on the metal deck as we went. On either side were a pair of large, thick pipes, big enough to stand on. They were probably used to send energy from the reactor to different parts of the sector.

After we got to the last platform, Jessie took off the black backpack and pulled out the parachute kit. Then we strapped ourselves in, Jessie with her back up against me as she buckled herself into the harness I'd put on. We bound ourselves together, the cloth straps all nice and tight. She was in front, and I was behind her as we climbed carefully over the rail and stood on one of the pipes. Far below us was the slums, and the sky under the plate was actually pretty clear for once.

"Ready?" I asked, wrapping my arms around her waist.

Jessie beamed. "Yeah! Yeah! Oh, but wait! I almost forgot! One last thing, Cloud! Can't go without it!"

What was she talking about? I found out just seconds later, though, when Jessie reached up, took hold of my face, and pulled me down into a kiss. The soft touch of her lips on mine made my heart race even as it set my blood on fire and melted my brain. When she eventually pulled away, her brown eyes stayed on me for a moment.

"For luck," Jessie smiled.

The corner of my mouth turned up. "Let's fly."

That said, we jumped, arms stretched out to either side as the wind from our acceleration roared past us and my stomach suddenly leaped into my throat. As we fell, Jessie screamed in total exhilaration, thrilled beyond belief at what we were doing together, and squeezed my hands in hers. Her touch filled me with warmth, and I kept my fingers linked with hers for a few moments before I eventually let go.

"I think I'm really falling for you now, Cloud!" Jessie shouted.

"That so?" I asked, completely unsurprised.

She giggled. "Yep! Head over heels!"

When I pulled the cord, the parachute suddenly shot open and we flipped into a quick backward somersault until we were both upright in the air. I seized the handles as the parachute unfolded, and our descent slowed until we were floating. Jessie gasped in delight, pointing toward the view spread out far below our feet. It was the slums, all lit up in the night, as far as we could see. And past the outer edge lay the badlands, a maze of rocky bluffs and valleys stretching all the way to the horizon, where a few stars glittered brightly like diamonds.

"Oh, Cloud, look!" Jessie said. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Quite a view," I agreed.

It was. Everything looked so small and tiny from this height, like a perfect scale model of Midgar's underside. Dirt streets and scrap heaps, homes and shops and other places all laid out like a kid's model. It was a sight to see, I had to admit. Sectors 5, 6, and 7 all lay underneath our feet, with Sectors 4 and 8 just visible in the distance.

Jessie smiled up at me. "I'm so glad we got to see it together."

"Same here," I agreed.

"You're definitely a keeper, alright!" she laughed.

I nodded. "That makes two of us."

Looking ahead of her, Jessie suddenly thrust her arms and legs out wide, her head held high as we drifted downward. "Yeah! You and me, we can take on the world!"

"You did good tonight," I said. "Be proud."

She grinned. "Yeah! And now for the cherry on top!"

Bringing her arms and legs back in, Jessie lifted a hand to my head, tilted her face upward, and pulled me into another kiss, her lips closing over mine in a soft, sweet touch that made my heart punch against my chest. As I pressed my mouth against hers, I opened it to let her inside. Jessie did the same for me, and my blood sizzled as our tongues danced together and wrapped around each other.

My eyes closing for a moment, I felt as if Jessie and I were far above the plate, flying higher than the hundreds of feet above the ground that we already were. She was warm and soft against me as we kept kissing, my fingers gripping the handles of the parachute. Her hand slid across the hair at the base of my head as she continued pressing me to her and our mouths fused together like magnets.

When we finally came up for air, Jessie brushed her lips against my cheek, then let go of me and rested her head lightly on my chest as she gazed ahead of us, her long auburn hair tumbling lightly in the wind. I guided us toward Sector 7 as we kept floating downward, steering us to the outskirts as best I could. Neither of us said much else, but we didn't need to. Just being with each other was enough.

In the quiet air, Jessie and I descended toward home.


	23. TWENTY-TWO

## TWENTY-TWO

We landed in the outskirts, the night gloomy and quiet around us. After Jessie and I had unfastened the parachute and its harness, we left them lying on the ground off to one side of the clearing. She pulled out her phone for a moment and tapped on it.

"Checking something?" I asked.

"Just letting Tifa know we're okay," Jessie explained. "Knowing her, I'm betting she's worried sick about us."

I nodded. "Think the others made it back?"

"They should have by now," she answered. "Barret'll probably give us six kinds of hell when we get there, but that's alright. I could tell him you asked about him. Might just make his day."

"No. Keep it between us."

Jessie giggled. "I get it, SOLDIER boy. Gotta stay cool, right?"

I shrugged. "Something like that."

"Can't fool me, though," she said, planting a soft kiss on my mouth. "I know you were worried about them."

"Maybe," I admitted.

With a wink, Jessie laughed and started down the dirt trail toward Sector 7. I followed her, eyes scanning the shadows as I went, but it was quiet tonight, and we got back to town without a problem. Lights kept the gloom at bay here as a few people still bustled about back and forth along the roads, and soon enough, the _Seventh Heaven_ came into view ahead of us, the outside lamps giving it a cheerful, welcoming feel. And it did feel good to be back. To be home.

When we pushed open the doors, the others were all there waiting for us. They were all sitting at one of the tables, drinks close by as they played cards. Poker, by the look of it. I'd seen them do it before, though I'd never joined in myself. Marlene wasn't in the room, so I figured she was already in bed upstairs. It was close to midnight, after all. As Jessie and I went over to the table, I found her earlier hunch about Barret was right on the money. He frowned up at us.

"'Bout time you two showed up," he grumbled. "Had me… uh, had _us…_ worried there. Tifa shot me a message when we was almost home, let me know you was on the way, but… you guys _ever_ pull some heroic bullshit like that again, I'll smack the both of ya upside your goddamn heads! You two got that?"

I folded my arms in front of me. "No promises."

Jessie just laughed and hugged him. "Good to see you too, Barret. I didn't mean to scare ya."

"Ah, forget it, girl," he patted her arm.

Biggs glanced pointedly at her. "You _did_ get that chip, right? Better not've gone through all that hell for nothin'."

She took it out of her pocket and held it up. "Right here!"

"Good. We barely managed to catch the last train. Headed straight for the station right after you guys got shut in. Good thing, too. They're probably gonna step up security after this."

Wedge blinked. "So what's that mean? We can't use the train?"

"Not 'till we get some new ID's," Biggs answered.

"Gotcha covered!" Jessie smirked, hands on her hips. "I'll get right to work on them tomorrow. Oh, and that reminds me…"

I stared as she looked at me. "What is it?"

Jessie grinned. "I've still gotta make you your extra special ID, too, Cloud! It'll be perfect, you'll see! The best ever!"

"Looking forward to it," I said.

"Awesome!" she exclaimed. "In the meantime, have a seat! It's time to play cards. Poker night!"

I grimaced. "Not interested."

"Oh, come on, Cloud," Tifa chuckled. "It'll be fun!"

Biggs groaned. "You sure, Tifa? You _do_ know he's got just about the best poker face anyone's ever seen."

"Oh, he has his tells," Jessie gave me a sly wink as she sat down. "If you know what to look for, that is."

Tifa flashed me a smile. "Yep! So, will you join us, Cloud?"

Jessie batted her eyelashes at me. "Pretty please…"

"You two don't fight fair, do you?" I gave in, pulling up a chair. "As if I could possibly say no to that."

" _Yes!"_ she cheered, pumping her fists.

"We knew you couldn't," Tifa laughed. "And no, we don't!"

Jessie put her hands together, smiled sweetly at me, and spoke in a cheerful, singsong voice. "Thank you so much, honey!"

"Wha…?" I blinked.

"Don't worry, Cloud, I'll go easy on ya," she said, her voice normal again as she gathered her chips. Then she held up her finger, tilted her head sideways, and winked. "Psych!"

Biggs and Wedge exchanged a worried glance. "Uh-oh…"

"Afraid you'll get cleaned out, boys?" Lena snickered. "Haven't had the best luck so far tonight."

"Ouch," Biggs sighed. "No need to rub it in, sis."

As Tifa gave me a set of chips, Jessie took the cards, shuffled them, and started dealing. "Alright, boys and girls. The game's five card stud, nothing wild… and the sky's the limit!"

As each of us tossed in a single white chip for the ante, Jessie dealt us our hole cards. Tifa had explained the rules to me before, so I knew how to play. I might not have ever done it myself before, but I did find it interesting to watch. And I'd noticed that Jessie was a _very_ dangerous player and excelled at bluffing. Given her past as an actress, I supposed it wasn't much of a surprise. I'd have to be careful. She did have tells of her own, though. But not always.

Jessie started dealing the next set of cards, starting with me. "A jack for the devilishly handsome ex-SOLDIER. Nice start! Ah, but an ace to my best friend, Tifa. Our fearless leader gets a ten, not bad. Biggs gets a five, Wedge a four. A nine for our newest girl, and a seven for me. Your bet, Tifa! What's it gonna be?"

She tossed in a red. "We'll start with five."

"Five it is. Cloud?"

"Same," I added one of mine.

Barret threw one in as well. "I'm callin' that."

Biggs put in two reds. "I'll see that five and add five more."

"I'm in," Wedge put in his two.

Lena tossed in two reds. "Same here!"

"Count me in!" Jessie put down two of her reds, then after the rest of us had called the bet, she dealt the second set of cards. "Let's see, my sweetie's got himself a king. Start of a straight, maybe? And a queen for my BFF. Too bad we're not playing blackjack, right?"

"Yeah, I know!" Tifa chuckled.

Jessie went on. "Hmm, a nice king to Barret. And a three for Biggs, no help. Oh, but another four for Wedge, showing a pair now! Hmm, a jack for the new girl, and the stunningly gorgeous dealer gets an eight. Both clubs, too! Bet's to you, Wedge."

He tossed in a blue. "I'll say ten to start with."

Everyone called, but Jessie decided to up the ante. "I'll see your ten and add ten more."

As we all put in our blues, Barret scratched his chin. "Awright, now that tonight's job was a success, we can start gettin' ready for Reactor 5. Four days, people. You got the layouts, right, Jessie?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "And something else, too. Something new that Shinra's cooking up. I don't know what it is yet, though. Gotta crack in there and see what I can find."

"Not sure I like the sound of that," Tifa said.

Jessie grimaced. "Then you'll like the name even less, Tifa. Project Firestorm. Got a bad feeling about it."

Wedge shivered. "You're right. That gives me the willies!"

"We'll figure it out after we take out Reactor 5," Barret said, settling the matter. "No need to worry 'bout it now."

"I wonder what it could be?" Lena frowned.

I glanced at her. "Jessie'll figure it out. Then we'll stop it."

Jessie beamed as she dealt again. "Thanks, Cloud! I sure will! Then we'll make Shinra sorry they ever crossed us!"

"Damn straight!" Barret grinned.

"And speaking of straights, the merc's got a ten. Lookin' good! Oh, but another ace to the Angel of Sector 7. And a six for the boss, no help there. An ace for Biggs, possible straight now. Two to Wedge, Lena's got a seven, and a ten of clubs for me. Your bet, Tifa."

She tossed in two blues. "Twenty."

Wedge added his. "I'm not quittin' just yet."

"I'm in," I put mine down.

Barret sighed. "Well, shit. That's it for me. Biggs?"

He slid in two blues. "Sure, why not?"

"I'm in, too," Lena said, adding her chips to the pile. "So what's our next step, guys?"

"Well, I've gotta put the new bomb together first," Jessie answered. "But I don't think we'll be able to sneak it onto the train like we did last time. We'll need to hide it somewhere near the reactor and then pick it up on the way in. Maybe the underplate."

Barret looked at her. "Yeah, sounds good. Sector 4 oughta do. Best look at them blueprints an' find us another way into the reactor. I think the front door's out this time. If we can sneak in from somewhere else, it'll give us a better chance of pullin' this off."

Jessie smiled and gave him a thumbs up. "You got it! And as for my bet, I'll see that twenty and add twenty more."

"Still in," Tifa added her chips.

"So am I," Wedge put his extra twenty into the pot.

I added mine as well. "Same here."

Biggs thought for a moment, then slid in two more blues. "Ah, hell. Never did know when to quit."

"Runs in the family," Lena smirked. "I'm in."

Jessie dealt the last set of cards. "My boy gets a nine of hearts, still going strong on that straight. A three for Tifa, no help. Biggs has a two, maybe another straight. The Midgar Special's biggest fan gets a queen, a five for his honey, and I get a six of clubs. Could be a flush or straight flush. You've still got the bet, Tifa."

She put two green chips into the pile. "Fifty."

"I'll see that," Wedge added his.

"Fifty," I slid four greens into the pot. "And fifty more."

Biggs grimaced. "Too rich for me."

"Not me!" Lena tossed in her bet. "I'm in."

Jessie put down two black chips. "Same here, plus a hundred more. Ready for the big time, guys?"

Tifa's face was dead serious. "Bring it."

After she added her bet, I threw in mine. "Another hundred on top of that. Think you can keep up?"

"Uh…" Wedge was sweating now. "I-I'll call."

"Fold," Lena sighed.

Jessie's face was unreadable. "And then there were four. I'll see your bet, Cloud, and raise you two hundred."

Tifa added her chips. "Count me in, Jessie."

"Well, uh…" Wedge glanced at his hole card and sighed. "I'm outta here, guys. This is gettin' big."

I added two more blacks. "Bigger. Call plus two hundred."

"Living dangerously?" Jessie taunted.

I stared back at her. "Just place your bet, Jessie."

She smirked. "Alrighty, then. I'll see yours, and here's another four hundred for good measure."

"Hmm…" Tifa thought for minute. "I'll call."

I slid eight more black chips into the pile. "Four hundred, and four hundred more on top of that."

Jessie whistled. "Pretty risky, SOLDIER boy."

"You in or out?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm in," she winked. "Tifa? What about you?"

Tifa shook her head. "This is where I bow out, I'm afraid."

"Then it's down to you and me, Cloud," Jessie said, her eyes locked on mine. "I'll call your bet and raise you another thousand. Think you can handle it, merc?"

I looked right back at her. "A thousand, plus a thousand more."

Jessie's gaze was steady. "Let's dial it up a notch. Your two thousand and another two thousand extra."

"Four thousand plus another thousand," I countered.

She didn't back down. "Here's your five thousand, and I'll raise you two thousand more."

"Hmm…" I looked at my cards and then hers. Jessie had four clubs showing. She could've been bluffing, but then again, there _was_ a pretty good chance that she had a flush. I eyed her warily. She was stonefaced, not giving anything away. Not that I could see, at least.

I sighed. "Take it."

"Whoo-hoo! Yes!" she hollered, scooping up all the chips.

Wedge glanced at her. "So what'd you have?"

Jessie giggled, flipping over her hole card. It was the king of hearts. Biggs' eyes widened. "What!?"

Mine was a second jack. "Should've called."

"Ah, man!" Wedge turned his over. It was a third four.

"You could've won, buddy!" Biggs told him. "If you wouldn't get so scared whenever the stakes go up."

Wedge shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so."

Lena kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry, Wedge. There's always next time. You'll get your chance."

"You really think so?" he wondered.

"I know so," Lena smiled encouragingly, taking his hand.

He kissed her. "Well, uh… whatever happens, I'm already a winner 'cause I've got you, Lena."

"Awww, isn't that sweet!" Jessie teased.

Wedge blushed a deep red while Lena made eyes at him. "Thanks, Wedge. I think I am, too."

Biggs chuckled. "Alright, guys, save it for later."

"It _is_ cute, though," Tifa laughed as she gathered up the cards.

"So what's the game this time?" Barret rumbled.

Tifa shuffled the cards. "Let's see… seven card stud, no limit. Wild cards are twos, jacks, and the king with the axe."

We all played for a while as the night went on. The others did most of the talking, chatting and joking while I listened and watched. It was different, being there with everybody instead of keeping my distance. I found I didn't mind, though. I supposed it was Jessie's and Tifa's doing. With everything that had happened lately, something in me had begun to change. Didn't know what, though.

I won my share of hands, and so did Tifa, Wedge, and Lena. Barret and Biggs didn't do so well, though. Lucky for them, we weren't betting with real money. Jessie came out on top, though. She'd won more chips than anyone else by far, which wasn't unusual for her. I'd seen her do it before, more often than not. Now I knew why.

Once Barret had gone upstairs to check on Marlene and go to bed, Wedge and Lena got ready to leave while Tifa put the chips away. Biggs was already busy sweeping the floor. Jessie and I started to head for the door ourselves, but then she suddenly stopped about halfway there and turned around, a mischievous smirk on her face.

"I just had a thought, Cloud," she whispered in my ear. "How about we stay here tonight?"

I blinked. "What? You serious?"

Jessie giggled, her voice still a soft murmur only I could hear. "Yep! We broke my bed in last night. It's only fair we do the same for yours as well. What do you say, SOLDIER boy?"

"Uh, okay…" I agreed.

"Then what are we waiting for?" she purred.

I stared at her. "Now?"

"Why not?" Jessie laughed. "Everyone's heading off to bed anyway. Might as well do it, too."

"You've got a point," I admitted.

As Wedge and Lena left, we said goodnight to them and the others and headed upstairs. Tifa gave me a knowing smile as I followed Jessie to the second floor, and I looked away, my cheeks pink. She knew what it meant, of course. It was kind of embarrassing, but I forgot all about it when Jessie pulled me into my room, closed the door, draped her arms around me, and covered my mouth with hers.

"I don't… know about you…" she murmured as her tongue swirled eagerly around mine. "but all that… bluffing and… betting… between us… really got me all… hot and bothered…"

I pressed her close to me. "Wasn't… just you…"

Jessie held my face in her hands as her kisses grew more passionate and fiery, making my heart spin like a top gone wild. "That's just what I… wanted to hear… SOLDIER boy…"

Getting her out of her armor was a little bit of challenge at first, but she helped me figure it out, and between the two of us, we managed to unbuckle the clasps on her breastplate and pull it off her. After putting it on top of the dresser, I let Jessie unsnap my shoulder guard and drop it to the floor. Then, between more kisses, we tugged off our gloves and boots and tossed them aside.

Her pauldrons went next as she lifted her arms so I could unbuckle the straps holding them on. Then they joined the rest of our gear down on the floor. And while Jessie still had her arms up, I swallowed, took a firm grip on the bottom of her black chain shirt, and looked up at her. She smiled encouragingly at me and nodded, and I lifted it up over her head, past her hands, and dropped it to the floor.

After letting Jessie unfasten my leather harness and pull it off me, I picked her up so I was holding her sideways in my arms as she let out a surprised gasp before giggling and draping her hands around my neck and shoulders. She pressed her lips against my cheek as I carried her to my bed, her eyes dancing with excitement.

"Always knew you'd sweep me off my feet," Jessie teased.

"Guess I took it literally," I said.

She winked. "Hey, I'm not complaining."

After I had gently set Jessie down on the mattress, she took hold of her olive cargo pants, unfastened them, and kicked them off. It left her in only her short-sleeved blue leotard top and her black lycra leggings. They stretched past her knees a little farther than her pants would have if she'd still had them on.

"So, uh… how do you…?" I started, eying her leotard.

Jessie smiled and pointed at the high collar that almost completely covered her neck. "There's a zipper on the left side. Goes all the way to the end of my sleeve."

I saw it now. "Got it."

"Good," she replied, her voice a husky whisper. She fixed me with a pair of brown eyes that were soft, steamy, and waiting. "Now come here and open me up, SOLDIER boy."

Sitting down next to Jessie on the bed, I took hold of her zipper to do as she'd asked. But as I met her gaze, I found my face drifting closer to hers almost on its own. Our lips met just a moment later as I started pulling, and they kept locking and unlocking as her leotard came apart and I slowly slid my hand inside.

* * *

I stifled a yawn the next morning as I put a pot of coffee on behind the bar. The others weren't up yet, and daylight was just peeking inside through the front windows. Well, Shinra's approximation of it, anyway. Those huge lamps built into the underside of the plate didn't do justice to the real thing. The sun itself was something most people down here never saw. I hadn't seen it in years.

While the coffee brewed, I went to one of the cabinets and took out my favorite mug, the black one with the chocobos running across it. I'd had it for a long time. A birthday gift last year from Barret. The yellow birds were cute, and black was my favorite color. I put it on the counter along with the cream and sugar and leaned against the wall to wait. As the flavorful smell of the grounds filled the air, I heard a soft knock on the door and went over to see who it was.

Glancing out the window, I saw Biggs waiting outside on the patio. A flutter swept through my stomach when he caught sight of me, and I remembered then that I was still in only the pajama bottoms and shirt I'd worn to bed. It was enough, but he'd never seen me this way before, and I couldn't help blushing a little when he gave me that crooked little grin of his. I unlocked the door and let him in.

"Morning, Biggs," I smiled. "You're up early today."

He walked inside. "You too, Tif."

I closed the door behind him. "So what brings you over here at this hour? The others are still asleep."

"Takin' Lena home to Sector 5 in a bit," he said. "She'll be back this way soon enough, but you know how hard the air here is on her. Those damn mako fumes. They never really go away."

"How's she feeling?" I asked.

Biggs followed me to the bar. "Pretty good, for the most part. She'll be better after she gets back home, though. The fumes aren't usually as bad over there. Probably 'cause of all the flowers."

I blinked. "Flowers?"

"Yeah. Quite a sight. Lena told me that some girl grows 'em. Brings 'em to the orphanage sometimes. Haven't ever seen her myself, though. I don't get over there as much as I used to."

"I didn't think flowers could grow in Midgar," I marveled.

He shrugged. "Me either, Tif, but somehow that girl does it. Guess she's got the magic touch."

I remembered then the flower that Cloud had given to Jessie a few days ago after the Reactor 1 mission. Was this where it had come from? That girl Biggs had mentioned? That would've meant that she had been on the plate that night. Selling her blossoms, maybe?

I could see how it would've been a good market for her, providing something so rare and beautiful. And, I thought with a little smile, she must've been really good at it to have convinced Cloud, of all people, to buy a flower. Aside from when he and I had taken on the Vice gang, I'd never been to Sector 5 before. But I decided I might go there sometime and try to find this mysterious florist, maybe buy some blossoms from her to decorate the _Seventh Heaven._

"Any idea what she looks like?" I asked, checking the coffee.

Biggs followed me behind the bar. "Lena met her once or twice but never found out what her name was. Pink dress, brown hair, braid. Oh, and the greenest eyes you ever saw. Why? You gonna go over there and look for her or something?"

"Maybe, after we're done with the next mission," I said. "This place could use some brightening up, don't you think?"

"Couldn't hurt," he agreed.

I looked over my shoulder at him. "Want some coffee?"

Biggs nodded. "Sure. Black, like always."

"Of course," I laughed.

With my favorite mug in one hand and the coffee pot in the other, I started pouring, my eyes still fixed on Biggs as we chuckled together. But as I did, I accidentally spilled some of the hot liquid onto my hand. I yelped in pain and surprise and instinctively jerked my arm away. My mug slipped out of my fingers and shattered onto the floor with a loud crash that tore at my heart.

"Oh, no!" I gasped.

Biggs took a step closer. "Tifa? You okay?"

Setting the pot back on the counter, I knelt down and tried to pick up the pieces, ignoring the sting in my skin where I'd burnt myself. But I moved too fast, sad as I was over what had happened, and more pain knifed into me as I caught my finger on one of the broken shards of my favorite coffee mug and cut it open.

"Shit!" I swore, jerking my hand back.

Biggs was at my side in an instant, helping me up as I held my arm out in front of me. "Damn! Looks like that piece is still in there. I'll get it out. Come on, Tif."

"First aid kit's under the sink," I told him.

He took it out. "Got it."

After setting the kit on the counter and opening it up, Biggs gently took my bleeding hand and leaned in for a closer look. A small, jagged piece of the broken mug was embedded in my fingertip, and a thin line of blood ran down the underside of my middle finger about halfway to my palm where the shard had cut it open.

I winced. "Hurts a lot…"

"I'll bet," Biggs grimaced. "Gonna get worse in a minute, I'm afraid. Gotta get that thing out. You ready?"

"Do it," I swallowed.

Taking a pair of tweezers from the first aid kit, he held my forearm steady and delicately took hold of the ceramic shard. It wasn't easy with it being so small, like the worst kind of wood splinter you can imagine. But after a minute or two, Biggs managed to snag it with the tweezers. I winced as he slowly pulled it out, and the second it was free, I wrapped my finger in a few folded paper towels I'd torn off the roll while he had been getting things ready. I held it firmly for a few minutes to stop the bleeding and gritted my teeth against the pain.

When he'd thrown the broken piece away, Biggs came back over to the sink with me and took a gauze bandage out of the first aid kit. With his help, I cleaned off my cut finger before letting him dab some iodine on it to keep it from getting infected. Then he carefully bandaged it up for me. My nose curled when he gave me a potion, though. I didn't like those things any more than Jessie did.

"Just had to throw that in, didn't you?" I smirked.

Biggs grinned. "Tastes like shit, but it gets the job done."

I drank it as quick as I could, trying desperately not to make a face and failing spectacularly. "That it does, Biggs. On both counts. I ought to be good as new in a couple hours."

"Lemme see that burn, Tif," he told me.

He took a look at my other hand, the one that I'd spilled the coffee on. The back of it was red, but it didn't look too bad, so I ran some cold water over it. That helped a bit, and between that and the potion, it felt a little better. So did my finger, though it still throbbed and would for a while. But I was as patched up as I could be.

Biggs took a dish towel and started drying my hand. Then he took a container of petroleum jelly out of the first aid kit and began rubbing some into my skin where I'd burnt myself. And as he worked, I became very much aware of the feel of his hands gently touching mine. It felt… really nice. I liked it. I liked it a lot.

Butterflies floated in my stomach as I looked up from what he was doing to gaze at his face. Which, I realized with a start, wasn't far from my own. Biggs looked at me, his fingers and thumb coming to a stop as his eyes met mine. They were dark, almost black. My heart thudding in my chest, I was hardly even aware of it as I leaned closer to him. He did the same, and my mouth drifted toward his.

Right at that moment, we heard footsteps coming from behind and above us, and we backed away from each other in a hurry. While Biggs nervously packed up the first aid kit, I ran a hand through my hair, my cheeks flaming and my stomach filled with butterflies at the thought of what he and I had been about to do.

Embarrassed, I turned to see Cloud coming downstairs, the blond spikes of his hair looking a little ruffled. He'd probably only just woken up, although he was fully dressed, the wooden floor creaking under his boots. He stopped as he walked into the room, his eyes going from me to Biggs and back again, and blinked in confusion.

"I interrupt something?" he asked.

"N-No, not at all," I stammered. "Biggs was just, um… helping out. I, uh… had a little accident."

Cloud noticed my bandaged finger. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Cut myself when I dropped my coffee mug. Sorry if I woke you, Cloud."

"It's fine," he brushed it off.

Biggs went over and got the broom. "I'll get this up."

I sighed. "So much for my favorite mug. I really liked it. I should've been paying more attention, though."

"Not your fault, Tif," he said. "Don't take it hard."

"Thanks," I smiled.

Between the two of us, we cleaned up the mess. Biggs swept up the broken pieces while I wiped away the spilled coffee, then he went back over the patch of floor with some spray cleaner. Then, watching what I was doing this time, I poured the three of us some fresh coffee. I had to use a different mug, of course. It was nice, but not quite the same. Silly, I know, but I get sentimental sometimes.

I glanced over at Cloud. "Jessie still asleep?"

"Yeah," he said, sitting down at the bar. "I left quietly when I heard your mug break. Didn't wanna wake her."

"I'm surprised she slept through it. It was pretty loud."

He shrugged. "Guess she was tired."

I winked at him. "I can imagine. You two had quite a busy night. In more ways than one, I'm sure."

For a moment, Cloud just stared at me, his mouth hanging slightly open. Then he looked away, his face flushing nearly as red as mine had been earlier. I hadn't been able to resist teasing him a little. Served him right for interrupting my moment with Biggs. My heart skipped a beat at the thought of finishing what we'd started.

"She's got ya there, buddy!" Biggs laughed. "Helluva night, huh?"

Cloud swallowed. "Yeah… it was."

"What was?" Jessie yawned.

I turned to see her walking downstairs and stretching her arms out above her head for a moment. Her hair hung loose over her shoulders, and she only had her leggings and leotard top on as she came over and joined us at the bar. Cloud blushed even more, and I giggled in spite of myself. Biggs' snickering didn't help, either.

Cloud took a drink of his coffee. "Uh… nothing."

"If you say so, dear," Jessie giggled, wrapping her arms around him from behind and kissing him on the cheek.

"Why do you do that?" he sighed.

She smiled innocently at him. "Do what?"

Cloud grimaced. "Call me those… names. It's a little weird."

"Just having fun, Cloud," Jessie patted his shoulder. "Gotta be sure you don't take yourself too seriously."

"I was in SOLDIER. Means I've got a certain image."

Biggs chuckled. "You're still a badass, man, don't worry. Only now, you're a badass with a honey. Even better!"

As we kept talking, Marlene scampered into the room, Barret right behind her, and I got up to get breakfast started. My finger still hurt, as well as the back of my other hand, but I managed. While I cooked, I let my eyes wander over to Biggs, thinking of what had happened between us earlier and what it might've led to.

And how much I wanted it.


	24. TWENTY-THREE

## TWENTY-THREE

"Hey, Cloud. Thought you'd be out here."

That was Jessie. Her voice rose up behind me as she strode outside, her boots thudding on the wooden planks of the deck, but it was quiet, almost somber. I stood at the railing, the _Seventh Heaven_ behind me. It had been three days since the mission at the 7-6 Annex and our escape back to the slums. Tomorrow was Reactor 5.

It was early evening, the daylight starting to fade as Jessie came up alongside me and put her hands on the rail. She'd finished up the bomb yesterday afternoon while I'd been out on patrol with Biggs and Wedge clearing out eaters and wererats. Biggs had started coming with us after the Reactor 1 mission now that Lena was back on her feet. Apparently, he was part of the neighborhood watch too, just like Wedge. He'd taken time away from it to look after his sister, though.

While we'd been out today, Biggs had told me a little about her and had explained why she'd been so sick. It was the mako fumes that hung in the air in so many places here in the slums. Some people were more sensitive to them than others, and Lena—from what Biggs and Wedge had said—was particularly vulnerable to them.

She'd been that way ever since she was a child, and the fumes made her so ill at times that she'd be stuck in bed for days. They had a way of moving, floating through the air, so simply avoiding them wasn't easy. This time had been particularly bad, Biggs had explained. Normally, it didn't take her too long to recover. But the mako must've gotten inside her more deeply this time, tearing at her system.

It had been weeks before Lena had begun to feel better and strong enough to be up and about. That hadn't been long before the Reactor 1 mission. Now that I thought about it, I realized I'd seen her cough now and then and rub at her chest. Even when she was well, it still lingered. No wonder Biggs worried about her. Wedge too, no doubt. There were some people, they'd said, that had suffered mako poisoning so severe it had left them in a coma, alive but unable to wake up.

That was what had happened to Biggs' and Lena's mom. She'd been sensitive to the mako fumes as well, every bit as much as her daughter, and had simply never woken up. Biggs had just gone in one day to find her dead. And he was afraid the same thing would happen to Lena one day if Shinra wasn't stopped and the reactors shut down. That was why he'd signed on with Barret years ago.

Having endured losses of my own, I thought I understood him and Wedge a little better now. Maybe they weren't so bad after all. I found I wanted to help them out, for Lena's sake. She was back in Sector 5 now, working at the orphanage and clearing away monsters, and I thought I knew why she stayed there so much. From what I'd heard, the air was a little cleaner over there and the fumes weren't as big or as thick, at least not in the more populated areas.

I glanced at Jessie. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "Let's just get this done."

"You okay?" I asked.

Jessie shook her head. "No, not really. Can't say as I am. But I don't wanna talk about it out in the open."

"Then let's get goin'," I said. "Tell me when we get there."

Now that the bomb was finished, we had to hide it. Jessie and I had gone over the blueprints with Barret earlier this afternoon to pick out a place. After poring over them for an hour and talking about it, we had decided to put the bomb inside a small interior storage room above the network of suspended platforms that made up the Sector 4 underplate. It was also near the back entrance to Reactor 5.

Jessie and I were going to do this mission alone. It was more about stealth than fighting, and we didn't expect to see much action. We were gonna take the Hardy and drive it through the Corkscrew Tunnel up to the plate. According to the blueprints, there were service ducts that led from the tunnel to the underplate.

Jessie and I had already picked the one we were going to use. Once we got inside, we'd head across the platforms until we got to the storage room. It was at the top of a ladder and acted as a sort of hub with a few other exits, one of which led to the area outside Reactor 5. Jessie would then hide the bomb inside the wall, and tomorrow we would pick it up on the way in. All there was to it.

Walking down the short flight of stairs to the ground, we made our way to the right side of the _Seventh Heaven,_ where I'd parked the Hardy earlier. Jessie was unusually quiet as she got on behind me, sliding onto the leather seat without a word. And I thought I knew why. As the days had gone by and we'd gotten closer to taking out Reactor 5, she'd grown more and more anxious and depressed.

Jessie had tried to hide it behind a smile and her typically cheerful demeanor, but I knew her well enough by now that I'd seen the pain in her eyes. She was a good actress and had fooled most of the others. But not me. I had a pretty good idea of what was eating her up inside, and I was sure it had been going on for a while now.

Over the past week, she had taken to watching the news whenever more reports came in about the Reactor 1 bombing. And they'd always include footage of what was left of it, a smoldering, smoking ruin, and the damage the explosion had caused to Sector 8. The number of dead and wounded always seemed to be going up as time went on, and Jessie had seemed to wilt a little more every time the counts were updated. I'd told her not to watch, but she wouldn't listen.

After I gunned the engine to life, we rode the bike quietly through the slums, the motor humming steadily as I drove. Jessie put her hands on either side of my waist as we passed into the outskirts, but she didn't say anything. She had carefully put the bomb inside one of the Hardy's storage compartments earlier when we had ridden over to the bar from her workshop, and I was sure it was on her mind.

We drove past the pillar complex without slowing down or looking at it. Although I hadn't dreamed about Jessie's death up there since our second night together the day of our picnic, I hadn't forgotten about it. Not once. Or my promise to save her from that fate. I wouldn't let what I'd seen become real. I wouldn't.

The trip through the Corkscrew Tunnel was fortunately uneventful as we made our way topside. We passed a train going the other way but didn't slow down. Jessie had made everyone a new ID by now, and they seemed to be holding up alright. Well, she hadn't finished mine yet, so I was still using my old one. I only hoped they'd hold out for the return trip back to the slums later on.

I'd brought Buster with me this time, and I drove the bike with my right hand while holding my sword in my left. As we neared Sector 4, I kept an eye out for the entrance leading to the underplate. Jessie found it first, patting me on the shoulder and pointing a short distance ahead of us and to our left. I saw it, nodded, and started to slow down. When we got close enough, I brought the Hardy to a stop.

I parked our motorcycle next to a small hatch set in the wall at the top of a short metal ladder. Killing the engine, I got off the Hardy while Jessie did likewise, shouldering Buster while she opened up the storage bay on the lefthand side and took out a dark gray backpack. Inside was the bomb and the remote detonator she'd made for it.

"This way," she pointed to the hatch.

I climbed up the ladder first with Jessie following close behind me, her backpack on her shoulders. When I got to the hatch, I opened it up and slid into a narrow service duct that went straight ahead for a dozen feet or so before hitting a dead end.

The place was a tight fit, but we managed. A second ladder was set into the floor at the far end, and we climbed down into another, longer tunnel. Jessie and I followed it for a little while until it opened out onto the series of suspended platforms that formed the Sector 4 underplate. They were fenced in by high metal railings, and here and there, we saw the huge lamps that were used to create the illusion of day and night in the slums lying far below us.

They were turned low at this hour in Shinra's imitation of starlight, and the only other illumination came from a few small lamps scattered here and there, mounted on the corners of the railings. The real sky, all but blotted out by the plate, stretched away to either side of us, dark in the night as mako fumes swirled in the air underneath us. It was a long way down to the slums from here.

A few more ladders stretched up to the underside of the plate, and I followed Jessie across the platforms to the one we were looking for. It led to a hatch that opened into another duct. We went inside, following it to the storage room. Shelves full of maintenance equipment lined the walls, and another narrow tunnel led away off to the left. Reactor 5 was in that direction. And in the back of the room was a third duct leading to another part of the underplate.

The room's ceiling was pretty low, only a foot or so above my head. Barret would barely fit in here. It was cramped but quiet as Jessie and I walked across the metal floor. The overhead lights were dim, but it was still enough for me to see her grim expression as she slid her backpack off her shoulders, unzipped it, and took out the bomb.

After gazing at it for a long moment, Jessie sighed and put it down on the floor along with her backpack. Then she went to the wall in the back right corner, took a small spanner from her belt pouch, and pried off one of the large steel panels. There was a thicket of pipes, wires, and metal beams inside. Picking up the bomb, she carefully nestled it in its hiding spot along with the detonator, putting them in a cluster of thick cables. Then she used her little spanner to fit the panel back into place on the wall before returning it to her belt pouch. After that, she slowly stood up, her eyes dropping to the floor.

"All set," Jessie murmured.

I walked over to her. "Ready to talk?"

She looked away. "No. But I… I can't keep this in for much longer. It's tearing me up inside, Cloud. What happened with Reactor 1. It was my fault. So many people dead… because of me…"

"You don't know that," I argued.

"Yes, I do!" Jessie insisted, her eyes meeting mine now. "I didn't tell you, didn't tell anyone, but… when I made that first bomb, I used more C4 than the directions called for. I wanted to make sure it worked, you see. And it did. You bet your ass it did…"

I shook my head. "Even so, you didn't set out to hurt anyone."

She turned around, her voice thick with sorrow. "Good intentions, Cloud… that's the path to hell, remember?"

"Jessie…" I said.

Reaching behind her, she slowly pulled her gun out of her belt. She held it in her hands, the barrel lying across her palm as her chest began to hitch. I didn't understand what she was doing at first, but then as she faced me again, tears sliding down her cheeks, I knew. Trembling with guilt and shame, Jessie lifted the gun, pointing it at her temple, and my eyes widened in disbelief.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I demanded.

"I'm a murderer, Cloud!" Jessie sobbed. "Ever since Reactor 1 went up, I've tried to bury myself in you, my work, my friends… anything to keep from thinking about what I did. But it's waiting for me every time I close my eyes. I see it every night. The fire, devastation… death. And it's all… it's all because of me…"

I held out my hand. "Give me the gun, Jessie. Killing yourself won't bring back the people who died."

She curled her finger around the trigger. "No, it won't. But they can rest easier if… if the one who took their lives… is dead. I'm guilty, and there's gotta be justice. I made this bomb weaker, so it should only take out the core this time and nothing else. But that won't help the people I killed with the first one. I… I have to pay up."

"You don't wanna do this," I said. "I know you don't."

"How can you be so sure?" Jessie sniffled.

I stepped a little closer to her. "Because if you did, you'd have done it by now. This isn't the way. I don't know what is, but we'll figure it out. Together. Just don't do this, alright?"

"It's not just about Reactor 1, Cloud," she whispered.

"What else, then?" I asked.

More tears leaked from her eyes. "When I was at Shinra, they took my work, my dreams, and twisted them. Used them to kill and destroy. There was an incident in Reactor 3. A lot of innocent people died. And my creations, my work, made it possible. There was also a whole town, destroyed by Shinra, using weapons I supplied. I didn't know they were gonna be used that way, but it's because of me that the troops had them in the first place. So it's still my fault."

"No, Jessie," I told her. "That was Shinra, not you."

"But I should've known better! I shouldn't have trusted Scarlet! I… I was her assistant, Cloud. Her _protégé_."

I blinked. "The head of Weapons Development?"

"Yeah," Jessie said. "That's her. That bitch tried to make me just like her. And if it hadn't been for my friends, she might've succeeded. After I found out what she'd done, how she'd changed my designs and turned them into killing machines instead of tools for protecting people, I got outta there and left Shinra for good."

"You couldn't have known what she'd do," I argued.

She wept. "Yes, I could have! I knew the kind of person she was the moment I met her. But I didn't listen to my instincts because I thought I could handle her and get her to see things my way. I was so stupid, so damn naive! And hundreds of people have paid the price for it over the years, Cloud. It… it's my fault they're dead…"

How could she think that? "She'd have done the same thing even if you hadn't been there, Jessie. You've gotta know that."

"Maybe. But I _was_ there. When I joined Avalanche, I wanted to use my skills to help people, to make up for what I'd done at Shinra. But… I've done so much worse instead. It's all happening again. I just… I just can't take it anymore! I try to make things better, but I end up screwing them up even more instead."

I moved a step closer to her. "You've gotta let it go."

She hesitated. "I… I don't know, Cloud. I don't know what to do. It just hurts so much… seeing the blood on my hands, knowing what I've done. So if I'm supposed to die anyway, then… might as well get it over with. It… it's the only way… I can atone…"

"What about the others, the friends who helped you get where you are? I don't know the full story, but you couldn't have come all this way alone. You think they'd want you to do this? Must've taken a lot of risk and sacrifice for them to help you."

Her grip on the gun wavered. "It did. And… they wouldn't. I know that. I just… feel so terrible…"

"Jessica…" I urged her. "Stay with us. With me."

For several agonizingly long seconds, she just stood there, the gun still pointed at her head as she gazed at me through her tear-filled eyes. I couldn't breathe, but I forced myself to stay calm. It was the only way to bring her back. Although I was sorely tempted to try to grab the gun from her, I didn't. I knew it wouldn't help.

And then, Jessie finally lowered her arm, the gun slipping from her fingers to clatter onto the floor. Her knees buckled after that as if they'd become unhinged, and a moment later she was in my arms, sobbing as she clung tightly to me. I held her, letting her vent her guilt and grief as long as she needed. Gently, I pulled Jessie down to the floor, and we sat together against the wall as she cried.

Eventually, she wore herself out, but she didn't move. Neither did I, and we just sat there together for a while, her head on my shoulder and our arms around each other. We didn't say anything, not at first. It was enough for us just to be there. The quiet was calming, and I didn't want to break it, not yet. I felt like Jessie needed it, at least for now. Her heart was beating fast and hard, as if she were a frightened rabbit, and it took some time for it to finally slow down.

She looked up at me, her eyes red and her face wet. "Am I… am I a bad person, Cloud?"

"No," I insisted. "You're not."

"How do you know?" Jessie sniffled.

I gazed at her. "You wouldn't have asked me that if you were."

"But I…" she protested.

I shook my head and gently squeezed her shoulder. "A bad person wouldn't care, Jessie. You do. All there is to it. You wouldn't be hurting so much otherwise."

"Thanks, Cloud," Jessie wiped her face as she hugged me. "You're a really sweet guy, you know that?"

"I am?" I wondered.

She nodded. "Damn right you are. The best. Do you… still wanna be with me? I'm pretty messed up. So I'll understand if… if you say no. It's alright. Don't worry about hurting my feel–"

I cut her off with my lips, covering my mouth with hers before she could finish what she'd been saying. Jessie didn't move at first, shocked as she was by what I'd done, but then she returned the kiss, pressing me against her as she held her lips against mine. It still made my heart race and set my blood on fire.

Eventually, she pulled away, gazing at me in wonder. And then she gave me a small smile. "Thank you…"

"Sure. I'm gonna stay close to you," I reminded her.

"Guess I'm stuck with ya, then," Jessie chuckled.

I smirked. "You bet. I–"

"Cloud?" she asked. "What is it?"

My eyes widened. "Jessie… you told me you were supposed to die. Did you… hear me that night? What I said?"

She kissed me again. "Every word, Cloud. Every word."

"But you were asleep…" I stared at her.

"Was I?" Jessie winked.

Then I understood. "You were awake the whole time, weren't you? You were just pretending to sleep."

She laughed. "Yep! I _was_ an actress, you know."

"But why?" I wondered.

"When I woke up and saw you sitting there that night, you seemed so sad, even though you tried to hide it. I wanted to help, but I figured you probably wouldn't tell me about it. You're still not used to opening up, after all. So I decided to play sleeping beauty for a while and hoped you'd say something. Looks like I was right."

I just gaped at her, still stunned. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Jessie touched my cheek. "I was… overwhelmed, Cloud. It was all I could do not to sit up right there, hug you as tight as I could, and never let go. What you said… it made me so happy. But I knew you thought I didn't know, and I wasn't sure how you'd feel if you found out I did. So I just pretended I hadn't heard. I didn't wanna embarrass you. Or make you feel uncomfortable. Sorry if I did."

"You didn't," I assured her. "Just surprised me, that's all."

"So, what you saw that night… it was in the pillar, wasn't it? That's why you made me promise not to go there."

I looked down. "Yeah. I… I don't wanna lose you."

Jessie took my chin, gently tilted my face back up, and touched her lips to mine. "You won't, Cloud. For while there, I… I thought I wanted to die. To make up for what I did. I still feel awful about it. But now… I think you were right. Maybe there's another way. So we'll change what's gonna happen to me. Because I have to live."

"To atone," I said.

She nodded. "Yeah, that's right. So, um… can I ask you something? It's okay if you don't wanna talk about it, though."

I didn't mind. "Go ahead."

"Why'd you leave SOLDIER?" Jessie wondered.

Leaning back against the wall, my arm still around her, I didn't say anything at first. It wasn't something I talked about very often. Tifa had asked me once, and I'd told her, but no one else. She'd been there, after all, when it had all gone down. She'd been a part of it, a victim as much as I had been. I wasn't surprised Jessie had asked me about it, though. I only wondered why it had taken her so long.

I sighed. "I joined up because I wanted to be a famous hero. But by the time I got in, the war with Wutai was over. They didn't need heroes anymore. Wasn't what I thought it was. Just… keeping the peace. Until I went out on a mission to Nibelheim, my hometown. Just your typical small village in the middle of nowhere."

"What happened?" she prodded gently.

"It's a long story, but basically… it was a disaster. Went out there to investigate the nearby reactor because it was malfunctioning. Monsters were attacking the down because of it. We killed them and repaired the reactor, but we also uncovered its secrets."

Jessie blinked. "We?"

"Oh, me and Sephiroth," I explained. "We served together."

"Sephiroth? I heard he died…"

I shook my head. "That's the official story, but no one knows what really happened. Not even me. And I was there…"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Because of what we found in the reactor, he went mad. Destroyed the whole town. Burned it to the ground. Nearly killed Tifa, too. I went after him, but… I can't remember what happened. How it ended. Why I'm still alive. I don't understand…"

For a while, Jessie didn't say anything. She'd been startled when I'd mentioned Sephiroth, and now she was frowning, lost in thought, as if something was bothering her. She opened her mouth to say something, then shut it again and looked away. Maybe she was just trying to take it all in, what I'd told her, but I wasn't sure.

Then she finally spoke. "You know, I'm not surprised he did that. I actually met him once. Just for a moment."

"You did?" I stared at her.

"Back when I was at Shinra. It was just in passing, really. But it was enough, believe me. He seemed… very cold. Distant. I remember I was afraid of him. Now I see it was justified."

It was. "That's right, you were there for years, weren't you? You said that on the train. Since before Nibelheim, then. Funny you and I never met in those days, but like I told you before, I didn't work at the Shinra Building. At least, not that I can remember…"

Jessie smiled. "Yeah, I'd definitely know if I'd seen you there. You're way too cute to forget. And I'm a sucker for bright blue eyes. They just make me go weak in the knees, you know?"

"Lucky me," I said.

"Lucky us," she corrected, kissing me.

For a while, Jessie and I just sat there together in the storage room, our lips locking and unlocking as we held each other. Her mouth swept passionately over mine, sending my heart thudding into my ribs. Moist kisses sent live current sizzling under my skin as her tongue slid softly but insistently around mine and our hands slid over each other as heat began to build between us.

Jessie pulled away for a moment. "Cloud?"

"Yeah, Jessie," I met her fierce gaze. "What is it?"

"I know this probably isn't the most ideal place, but… we're alone, and I… I need you right now…"

I looked at her. "You mean… _that?_ Here?"

"I do," she whispered, her forehead touching mine. "And yes, here. If… if you don't mind, that is. I need you to take the pain away, Cloud. At least for a little while. Make me feel alive."

I nodded, and when her mouth covered mine again, I gently pulled her to the floor and returned her kisses, letting her unfasten Buster and my harness as I did. I shrugged them off and pushed them aside as she began nibbling at my ear. It tingled, sending a shiver through my body, but it felt good, too. My hands drifted to the buckles on her armor, and she sat up to help me get her out of it.

When that was done, Jessie reached into her backpack, took out an old blanket, and started unfolding it. I helped her lay it out on the cold metal floor, and I was amused to see her straighten it so it was nice and flat. She did have an eye for detail, but I hadn't realized it went that far. I didn't really mind, though.

"Lucky you had that," I noted, pulling off my boots.

She laughed. "I keep a lot of stuff in there. Never know what you'll end up needing. Why else do you think it's so full?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You're a real pack rat, aren't you?"

"Guilty as charged," Jessie smirked.

"At least we'll be comfortable," I said, sliding my gloves off. I tucked them into my boots. "You always been that way?"

She tugged off her own gear. "No. But I learned to be."

I sat down next to her on the blanket. "When you left the plate?"

"Yeah," Jessie said. "Second time I lost everything. After I'd been in the slums a while, I started packing a few things away. A little at a time, here and there. An emergency kit, you might say. Just in case I ever had to leave in a hurry. If… if I lost it all again…"

"You won't," I promised.

She kissed me. "You're right, Cloud. I won't."

I wrapped Jessie in my arms, heat and hunger both rising in me as I moved my mouth against hers, and when her fingers roamed over my shirt, I let her pull it over my head and toss it aside. Then I swallowed, doing the same with her chain shirt before lightly pushing her onto the blanket and laying on top of her.

This hadn't been part of the mission plan, but I didn't care. Neither did Jessie. She needed me, needed what I could give her, to let her lose herself in passion and pleasure for a while and forget about everything else. We still had a long trip back to the slums ahead of us, but this was something I knew we had to do.

"You were my shelter once, Jessie," I murmured. "Now it's my turn. Just let loose. Do whatever you have to do. Shout if you have to. There's nobody here but us. Get it all out, alright?"

She pressed me against her. "I will, but… I need you to promise me something, Cloud."

"Name it," I told her.

"Don't stop. Just keep going 'till we hit the promised land. Take me there, alright? And don't hold back. I need it hard tonight, hard as you can make it. You're so sweet when you're gentle with me, but right now I really need you to go at it with all you've got."

I touched her cheek. "You sure? I don't want to hurt you."

"Positive," Jessie kissed me. "I know that you've never gone that far before. But I'm a big girl. I'll be fine. It's just… all the pain and guilt, all the shame and sadness… I need you to ram them away, so that all I feel inside me is you. And don't let go."

I did as she asked, holding onto her as we explored each other and took off the rest of our clothes, the physical tension growing with every piece we tossed aside. Jessie's mewlings and moans were louder than I'd heard her go before, and I knew she wasn't holding back. Her nails dug into me as I got her ready, touching, stroking, and caressing her in her most intimate places with more than just my fingers until she'd opened up to me like the flower I had given her.

Then it was my turn as I let Jessie flip me over once I had brought my mouth back to hers again. She held me firmly against her, pressing me to her so hard I thought I might suffocate. Not a bad way to go, lost in her kiss like that. But she relaxed just enough to let me breathe for a moment before thrusting her tongue back into my mouth. Mine found it and danced with it, sending sharp flashes of heat surging through my body and making it ache for hers even more.

After pulling away with a gasp, Jessie let her mouth drift down the side of my jaw and neck before going further, her small hands roaming lightly across my chest as she trailed kisses across my skin. A long, soft sigh escaped my mouth at the things she did, and when she continued her descent and firmly took hold of what was waiting for her, I was the one moaning this time. I buried my fingers in her hair as my head sank back on the blanket and Jessie got to work.

She didn't bring me all the way, though. Just as I hadn't brought her to the peak, either. But her touches, kisses, and attention were all that I needed to get me ready for her. I laid there and let her work her magic on me, my eyes closed and my mouth slightly open.

When Jessie finally let go, my eyes slid open again as I sat up, took her in my arms, kissed her passionately, and pushed her back onto the blanket. Then, while my lips still locked with hers, I eased my way into her. Jessie moaned in delight as she wrapped her legs around my waist and her hands gripped my shoulders.

"You remember… what I told you?" she breathed.

I nodded. "No holding back. Goes for you, too, Jessie."

She kissed me. "Right. Make me soar, Cloud. Make me fly. Take me all the way to the promised land."

I held Jessie close as I started moving, slowly and steadily at first to get things going. But it wasn't long before I picked up speed, faster and faster as she joined in. Between fiery kisses, our breathing was hot and very heavy, neither of us putting a cap on the noise we were making. It went on and on, our bodies merging together, sweating and trembling. In the dimness of that little storage room, our passion escalated higher than I'd ever thought possible.

Jessie clung tightly to me as if I was a life preserver that could keep her from drowning. And maybe I was. As the heat and fire between us grew and grew, she went through a roller coaster of emotions. Nothing was held back. She cried, tears spilling from her eyes again as guilt tore through her over deaths her bomb had caused, the massive destruction it had wrought in her former home.

She experienced bouts of anger as well. Not at me, but at herself, at Shinra, at Scarlet, and at her father. She took her hands in the midst of it and started pounding my shoulders, lost for a moment in her rage at those who had hurt her so badly for so long. Then, only a second later, she snapped out of it, her eyes wide.

"Cloud!" Jessie gasped. "I… I'm so sorry! I… I didn't mean…"

I kissed her as I kept going. "It's fine. Don't… you worry… about it. Just do… what you've gotta do…"

She covered her mouth with mine. "Thank you…"

After that, Jessie lapsed into fear. Not panic, but a dread over what her actions might bring about. Her soft, frightened whispers told me it had been bothering her for a long time now, the same worries as Tifa. I wasn't surprised, and I held her close and moved with her. She was also afraid of her father, that he might somehow find her again after all this time and destroy her life like he had before.

Through it all, I was there. I kept on going, never letting up. I went even faster, pushing myself as hard as I could for as long as I could. She held on, her eyes closed at first as she rode out the storm, but then as I rammed her to the hilt again and again, breathing her name and telling her I was there, her eyes flew open and her face lit up.

Jessie's grip on me grew even tighter, her fingers clamping into my arms as her voice rose up in a long, loud groan of pleasure and she left the turbulence and heartache behind. She was in calm waters now, her face a picture of tranquility and happiness. I could feel her body under me, quivering with tension, and as her cries suddenly intensified along with my own, I knew we were close.

"Clo… Cloud!" Jessie panted, volts of current bursting between us with every strike. She was at the brink now, her brown eyes wider than I'd ever seen them. "I… I… I love… I love… _I love you!"_

As if what she'd just said had set it off, my body jumped toward the edge as well, my nerve endings sizzling in eager anticipation as I let out a gasp of my own. "J-Jessica…!"

A second later, we hit the promised land.

My own cry was loud enough, and with Jessie's legs clamped firmly around me, I just let go inside of her in an explosion of blazing fire and held onto her as tightly as she held me. But when Jessie came, her voice was like thunder. She didn't just gasp or cry out. She _screamed._ It was a shout of pure ecstasy, pleasure, and bliss.

Jessie arched her back, bucking her hips against me in the midst of her climax and burying her nails so deeply into my shoulders I thought they would bleed. If her deafening shout of joy and sensual delight had been a bomb, it would've flattened half the city.

She screamed long and loud, all through the aftershocks, her body trembling with release just as mine was. When her voice finally drifted off, Jessie grabbed my head on both sides and smashed her lips against mine, kissing me over and over again. We clung to each other through it all, panting and out of breath, our bodies slick with sweat as I moved my mouth against hers until the heat had subsided.

"Cloud…" Jessie breathed. "That… that was… incredible…"

"It sure… sounded like it," I quipped.

She grinned, ear to ear, and laughed, happier than she'd been lately. And as I laid down next to her on the blanket and she curled up to me, I let myself laugh along with her. It was just us here, and I knew I could let my guard down a little in this place. We kept at it, Jessie beaming at the sight of me sharing her mirth.

"Would you look at that?" Jessie teased. "Cloud Strife, laughing his head off! Who'd have thought?"

I chuckled. "It's all your fault, Jessie."

She giggled. "Oh, sure. Blame me, why don't ya?"

"If you say so," I agreed.

We kept on laughing together, our eyes on each other. It was weird but oddly relaxing at the same time, almost infectious. Maybe, after all we'd been through lately, it was a chance for us to unwind and get rid of some of the tension we'd been carrying around. Especially for Jessie. As she laid there with me, the weight seemed to fall off her shoulders a bit. This little room had become a sanctuary, a safe place for us, for her. We weren't in any rush to leave it.

Our laughter echoed in there for a long time.


	25. TWENTY-FOUR

## TWENTY-FOUR

"What you said back there," I asked. "You meant it?"

Jessie and I stood for a moment at the bottom of the ladder leading up to the storage room. After we had laid together on the blanket for a few minutes, resting and enjoying each other's company in the stillness of that little place, we had cleaned ourselves off as best we could, gotten dressed, and had packed up our gear. Then, after Jessie had given me a gentle kiss, we had left our quiet refuge behind.

She knew what I meant. "I did, Cloud. I love you."

"Jessie…" I swallowed, not sure how to respond. I cared about her, but… I didn't know much about… love. "Glad you feel that way. Makes me, well… happy. It's just… I, uh…"

"It's okay," she smiled. "I understand. I know it's hard for you to say how you feel. Kinda cute, actually. Mostly because I know you really do care about me. Love is… a big thing. So don't feel like you have to say it back right away. Just take your time. I'll wait."

I nodded. "Thanks."

Jessie grinned. "Sure thing! I can see you've got a lot on your mind, a lot to work out. So don't sweat it. But when you _do_ tell me, sooner or later, just remember I said it first!"

"Not gonna forget," I promised. "No way I could."

"Awww, Cloud, aren't you sweet?" she chuckled, hands on her hips. Then she leaned forward a little, held up her finger, and smirked. "You just _love_ making me feel all warm and tingly inside, don't you? And not just with your words, either."

My jaw fell open as I blushed furiously and looked away. "Wha…? I, uh… I mean… I guess so…"

She giggled. "C'mon, SOLDIER boy. Let's go home."

"Right," I agreed. "This way."

"Oh, and Cloud?" she said, wrapping her arms around me. "Thank you. For what you did for me in there. Not just… you know… but also for talking me out of doing… what I almost did."

I held her for a moment. "Sure. You don't need to go it alone. We'll help. Me, Tifa, Lena, and the guys."

Jessie tapped my nose. "Same to you, merc."

"Don't expect me to get all mushy with 'em," I told her.

"Not a chance!" she laughed. Then she grew serious again. "Just… don't tell them about what happened here, okay? What I… tried to do. I don't want to worry them."

I hadn't planned to. "It's our secret."

"Then let me seal those delicious lips of yours with a kiss and we'll be on our way," Jessie winked.

"Gladly," I said, the corner of my mouth curling up.

She didn't waste any time. Her kiss was long, soft, and sweet, with a tantalizing hint of the fierce passion she could unleash. Just enough to remind me of what we'd experienced in the storage room as well as give me a taste of what was ahead of us later. Made my blood sizzle and my heart slam hard against my ribs.

When we were finished, we set out across the underplate. It wasn't far to the duct we'd come in from, but we'd only gone a few steps when I saw something fly toward us out of the corner of my eye. I knew what it was in an instant and flattened Jessie under me just as the rocket flew over us. It was a small missile, and as it smashed into one of the narrow metal beams that supported the platform, I spotted the launcher. It was in a nearby corner in this part of the underplate.

The platform lurched as the beam broke apart, but it held. But as I helped Jessie up, three more missiles came at us, smoke trailing behind them. We dove aside, drawing our weapons in the process while two of the rockets blew apart the railing behind us. The third struck the floor of the platform right where we'd been standing. Jessie managed to take out the launcher with her gun and a raspberry before it could fire at us again, and it exploded in a brilliant fireball.

But the explosion from that last missile ripped the platform in two at the same time. Jessie leaped to safety at the last second, but the floor under my feet gave way and started to fall toward the slums far below. I was being carried with it, and all Jessie could do was drop her gun and reach for me, her eyes wide and frightened.

"Cloud!" she yelled.

I acted on instinct, jumping from one falling section of the broken platform to another as fast as I could, my eyes on Jessie's. I blocked out the thought of the long drop under my feet and simply acted, springing back up toward the underplate. Launching myself off part of a severed pipe, I leaped high into the air, flipped into a forward somersault, then landed safely on the edge right in front of Jessie.

She pointed at me. "Okay, now _that_ was pretty cool!"

I smirked as I straightened up. "Guess it _was_ flashy, wasn't it?"

"Sure was!" she chuckled. "But if you _ever_ scare me like that again, I'll beat the shit outta you! Got that, SOLDIER boy?"

"Loud and clear," I said.

Jessie took my hands in hers. "Seriously, though. I don't wanna lose you, Cloud. And that's an awfully long fall down to the slums. Probably no way to survive it."

"Not necessarily," I said. "If you've got something to break your fall or slow it down, you could make it."

"Let's hope we never have to test that," she shivered.

I nodded. "Right. We'd better get outta here. Don't want to run into security again. Seems we've got their attention."

We hurried across the underplate the way we'd come, watching for more of Shinra's automated weapons systems. Rocket launchers, for the most part. They were set up all throughout the platforms, but I noticed that as long as we didn't get too close to them, they stayed dormant. So I made sure Jessie and I gave them a wide berth.

We were almost to the exit leading into the tunnel when a patrol of elite grunts suddenly sprang at us from another platform set at the top of a short flight of steps. They were just like their cousins from Reactor 1, but their suits were red and they were a bit stronger and faster. Jessie brought up her arm, concentrated, and hurled a fork of lightning at the nearest enemy, striking it in the chest and forcing it back a few steps. It didn't go down, though. Like I said, tougher.

I ducked under a hail of blue energy bolts and swept Buster across in a wide arc, catching three of the grunts while Jessie covered me with her gun, peppering the fourth with bullets and keeping it off my back. I followed up my attack with a series of three quick strikes that hit each of the grunts I was fighting in a blinding flash of purple energy one by one. Two fell, but the last stayed on his feet.

Jessie cried out as she took a slash on the arm from the grunt she'd been firing at. It had closed in on her, but I was still tangling with mine so I couldn't help her. She held her own, though, letting her gun fall to the floor so she could face her enemy hand to hand. Ignoring the pain, she ducked under the grunt's swinging arm, slammed her fists into its chest one after another, and drove it back.

A few energy bolts grazed my shoulder as my own enemy let loose another blast from his arm, but I just rushed him in spite of it, slashing him again and again before drawing upon my materia's magic to throw a sizzling blue bolt of electricity into him. He crashed right through the nearest railing and fell to the slums.

I turned to help Jessie, but she was already hitting the grunt with a forward thrust kick that sent him sprawling onto the floor. And before he could get up, she picked up her gun and sprayed him with bullets. It didn't take very many to keep him down. Jessie stood there a moment, smoke wafting from the barrel as she held her gun in both hands, eyes narrow and fixed on her target.

Then she relaxed with a grin. "Phew! Glad that's over."

"Let me see your arm," I said.

"Just a scratch," Jessie shrugged. "No big deal."

I went over to her. "Still, better let me patch it up. Took a scrape or two myself, so don't feel bad."

She held up her arm, and I concentrated on my materia again, this time on Restore. I didn't have Magnify yet, so I'd have to treat us one at a time, but I hoped to find one sooner or later. Focusing on the magic, I drew it out and sent it toward Jessie. Bright green particles of healing energy surrounded her for a moment.

"It tickles!" she giggled.

The long cut on her arm just above her elbow and below the sleeve of her chain vest began knitting itself closed as the bleeding stopped. It didn't heal it completely, but it would do until we got home. It was just a basic cure spell, so its effectiveness was somewhat limited. Eventually, though, if I kept it with me long enough, the materia would grow. And its magic would get stronger as a result.

I glanced at her when the spell was finished. "Better?"

"You bet!" Jessie beamed. "I'll take this over a potion any day!"

"Likewise," I agreed.

After I'd finished tending to our injuries, we moved on, heading to the exit and into the network of ladders and service ducts leading back to the Corkscrew Tunnel. We got there without running into any more trouble, and our motorcycle was still there waiting for us. After putting her dark gray backpack inside one of the storage compartments, Jessie got on behind me while I gunned the engine.

She touched her lips to my cheek. "Take us home, Cloud."

I hit the gas, and we sped off down the tunnel, the red lights on the walls a blur as we raced past them. Just as I had before, I drove with my right hand while holding Buster in my left. Jessie's fingers rested lightly on either side of my waist as her hair flew behind her. She leaned closer as the engine roared beneath us.

"Can you hear me okay?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. What's up?"

She went on. "Just wanted you to know, our ID's may have held up so far, but they could still get pinged. And if they do…"

"They'll come for us," I finished for her.

"Yeah," she agreed. "By the way, how'd you learn to drive?"

Wasn't much to it. "Had to when I was in SOLDIER. All part of the basic training program."

"Ah, I see," Jessie teased. "You're an expert?"

"You could say that," I said.

She squeezed me tight for a moment. "So then, you gonna take my breath away with your amazing skills?"

"Don't blame me if ya get sick," I quipped.

"Oh, I'll be fine!" Jessie laughed. "Feel free to impress me. I wanna see what you can do, SOLDIER boy!"

I revved the engine. "If you say so. Your ammo good?"

"Yeah!" she answered. I heard her draw her gun and slap in a fresh clip. "I'm ready, Cloud. Lock and load!"

We sped faster, as prepared as we could be. Although I hoped we'd get lucky and avoid Shinra's forces, I wasn't counting on it. We raced on down the tunnel, following it as it curved to the right and descended to the slums. It would still be a while before we got there, though. At least twenty minutes. As we drove, I suddenly drew in a sharp breath when I saw a red sensor net sweep toward us.

"ID scan!" Jessie leaned forward. "Ready?"

I braced myself as the sensor net swept over us, and as we raced on through it, an alarm went off around us. So much for getting home the easy way. I tightened my grip on Buster and kept my eyes and ears alert as we drove down the tunnel. Shinra's troops wouldn't take long to find us, and then it was game time.

"We've got company!" Jessie sang.

I saw through the rearview mirrors that she was right. Five Shinra motorcycle troops had appeared in the tunnel behind us, closing fast. It wouldn't be long before they were in range. Jessie had her gun ready as they neared, a small smirk on her face.

My eyes went back to the road. "Somebody's having fun."

"You bet I am!" Jessie laughed. "A young couple, thrust together by fate, race through the neon-streaked night! Attacked on all sides by evil forces, will they break through to safety?"

"Looks like we're about to find out," I answered.

The sound of gunfire suddenly split the air as the troopers opened up, but fortunately they didn't have very good aim. But Jessie did. And she let them know it, firing back with one hand while holding onto me with the other. One of the troopers ate two bullets to the chest and flew from his bike with a startled shout.

I took down the next one the moment he pulled up beside us with a few quick swings from Buster. He and his standard-issue Shinra bike both collapsed a second later while Jessie shot another soldier from the other side at point blank range before he could do it first. Then the last two sped up until they were on either side of us.

"What now?" Jessie asked.

Now I was the one smirking. "Watch and learn."

While she giggled and held on tight to me, I threw the motorcycle into a spin, turning a complete circle and hitting both soldiers with my sword at the same time, a wide arc of bluish energy trailing in its wake. The troopers fell before they could even fire a shot, tumbling haplessly off their bikes as they crashed and burned.

"My hero!" Jessie teased, her voice more than a little melodramatic as she squeezed me tight.

I allowed myself a little laugh. "Guess that's me."

She chuckled. "And don't you forget it!"

"We're not outta this yet," I reminded her. "There's sure to be more on the way. Stay sharp."

"Will do!" Jessie let go of me and readied herself.

But what came for us this time wasn't more soldiers. Not yet. These were drones, sparking with electricity as they flew down the tunnel. As we drove on, they passed us, then started firing blasts of current at us. I swerved right and then left to avoid them as Jessie took aim while I got Buster ready to strike. There were two drones, both of them hovering a short distance ahead of us as they attacked.

"Jessie!" I said. "Take the one on the right! I'll get the left!"

She nodded. "Got it!"

While she opened fire at her drone, I concentrated on mine. I took Buster, whipped it in a tight vertical arc alongside the Hardy, and sent a gust of pale green energy flying toward the drone. It struck it dead on, and the Shinra machine exploded just seconds after Jessie's. No time to celebrate, though. I saw more troops catching up to us.

"Ready for Round 2?" I called back to Jessie.

She grinned. "Hell yeah! Let's take it to 'em, SOLDIER boy!"

Like the drones, this next group of troopers sped past us, shooting their guns as they went by. I swerved and dodged to keep me and Jessie from getting hit, and once they got a few dozen yards ahead of us, they started dropping small grenades in our path. I had to slow down a little and yank the bike hard to the right to avoid them, but the blasts shook us as we drove around them.

"Shit!" I spat. "Not good."

Jessie put her gun away. "Think you can you get us out front again, Cloud? I've got an idea."

I could do that. "Sure. What've you got in mind?"

"Watch and learn!" she winked. "Just be ready with those boosters. When I say go, let 'em loose!"

I floored the gas pedal, speeding up and dodging more grenades as I got closer to the four troopers. After swerving from side to side while they tried again to shoot us down, I drove the Hardy right through the group and got us ahead of them again. While I did that, Jessie took out two raspberries, one in each hand.

She glared back at the soldiers. "So, you guys wanna play with fire, eh? Lemme show ya how it's done!"

"Now?" I saw her pull out the pins with her teeth.

" _Now!"_ Jessie spat them aside and hurled the raspberries overhead behind her. _"_ _Punch it!"_

I did, tapping the pedal switch next to the gas, and the Hardy shot forward like a bullet just as Jessie's grenades exploded behind us. They took out the whole group in a thunderous blast that filled the spiraling tunnel with fire and smoke and practically deafened us with the noise. We just barely outran the inferno, Jessie holding tightly to me as it blew down the track after us, flames eating everything in sight. At one point, it almost caught us, but we raced clear at the last second, Jessie clinging tightly to me with her head buried in my back.

When we were finally safe, I switched off the boosters and glanced at her. "You okay back there?"

"Yep!" Jessie lifted her head and smiled. "Not a scratch!"

"That's what I like to hear," I said.

She giggled, keeping her arms snug around my waist. "So, anything you wanna say to yours truly?"

I blinked, not sure what she meant. "Like what?"

"Oh, I dunno," Jessie quipped. "Maybe tell me I'm such a genius for getting us outta that mess."

"My hero," I deadpanned.

She let out a dramatic gasp. "Oh, my! I've never been anyone's hero before. My heart be still!"

I smirked. "Don't let it go to your head."

"I won't, merc," Jessie chuckled. Then she hugged me from behind, resting her head on my back again. "Psych…"

We drove on with no more signs of pursuit and made it back to the slums a few minutes later. As we rode off the tracks and onto the street alongside the station, I let out a sigh of relief. The trip back hadn't gone quite the way we'd expected, but we'd still finished it and gotten here in one piece. Then I remembered something Jessie had said earlier before the chase had begun.

"Looks like we broke through," I said.

She laughed. "Yeah! The daring young couple fought their way free and emerged triumphant! Savoring their hard-earned victory, the rebel princess and her handsome hero rode home to get a well-deserved rest and prepare for their next adventure!"

I drove into the outskirts. "To be continued?"

"You bet!" Jessie gave me a thumbs up. "And you passed the test!"

"What test?" I wondered.

She put her hands on my shoulders. "Driving!"

"Been driving for years," I said.

"True, but you still deserve a reward, SOLDIER boy. And you'll get it later, if you know what I mean."

I did, the thought heating my blood. "Can't wait."

"Me either, merc," Jessie slid her arms around my waist and hugged me again, sighing contentedly. "Me either."

* * *

"Tifa!" Johnny called. "Another round!"

I smiled and got him his drink. "Last one, Johnny. We'll be closing up soon. You don't want Barret seeing you out again."

It had been a busy night, but the crowd was thinning out now that it was getting late. That would make things easier. Barret wanted to go over tomorrow's attack on Reactor 5 with us once Cloud and Jessie got back from the plate. Biggs, Wedge, and Lena were all here already, and while I'd insisted it wasn't necessary, they'd all pitched in to help me out tonight while Barret kept a watchful eye on the customers and Marlene played with her toys behind the bar.

"Yeah, I know, I know," Johnny grumbled.

I slid him his glass. "Here you go. One Midgar Sunrise with a twist. What's the occasion?"

He took a swallow. "Huh? Whaddya mean?"

"Well, you usually just have a few beers. This is a bit more fancy for you. Thought there might be a reason."

"Oh, that…" Johnny said. "Celebrating, I guess."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? What for?"

His gaze went first to his drink, then to me. "Gonna be leavin' this town soon, Tifa. Got me a nice payday from my last job, enough to try my luck on the plate. So I'm goin' for it."

"That's great, Johnny. I hope it works out for you."

"Thanks! My folks aren't too happy about me leavin', but I gotta try and make somethin' of myself instead of stayin' here my whole life. It'll sure be a challenge, but I'm up for it. And don't worry, you'll always be my Tifa! No matter how far I go!"

I laughed. "Just be sure to visit from time to time, alright?"

He nodded and finished his drink. "I will. Anyway, goodnight! I'm leavin' tomorrow, so take care of yourself."

With that, Johnny stood up, more sober than I'd seen him in a long time, and ambled out of the bar. I watched him go, hoping he'd be okay on whatever journey he went on. I didn't know where he'd end up, but I was glad he was trying to pull himself together. And it also relieved me to know he'd be gone. Not that he bothered me, but he could be a talker and had some suspicions about Avalanche.

Not long afterward, I heard a motorcycle powering down the road toward the _Seventh Heaven._ It wasn't hard what with most of the traffic in the slums being on foot and the bike's engine being as loud as it was. Sounded like Cloud and Jessie were back. Wedge walked over to one of the windows up front and looked outside.

"It's them!" he grinned.

He was right. Less than a minute later, the revving of the motor cut off as they parked the bike, and then the double doors swung open and Jessie strode inside, all smiles as Cloud followed behind her. Barret and Biggs nudged the rest of the customers outside while Lena and I closed up the bar for the night.

I poured Cloud and Jessie each a drink as they sat down. "Hi, guys! How was the ride?"

Jessie winked. "Awesome, Tifa! Really exciting!"

So, the bomb was in place, then. What we'd said had been a code of sorts, since we couldn't talk openly about it with customers still here. It didn't take long for the others to usher them out, though. When it was just the seven of us—well, eight if you count Marlene—Lena locked the doors, and we all joined Cloud and Jessie at one of the long tables. We'd planned all this out before they had left so that when they got back, we could get right into the meeting.

"Bomb's ready, then?" Barret rumbled.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. We hid it in the main storage room. Inside a wall panel. No one'll know it's there."

I sighed. "So we're really doing this, then."

"Ain't no gettin' offa this train we on, Tifa," Barret said. "Like I said in my message to Shinra today, either they shut down them reactors or we do it for 'em. That's jus' how it is."

"I know how you feel," Jessie added, serious now. "Believe me, I… I really do. But I've double and triple checked the bomb. It won't do what Reactor 1 did. It'll only take out the core."

I knew that had been bothering her. "I know, Jessie. It's just… what Shinra might do in response that worries me. Have you had any luck in unlocking that file you found?"

Jessie shook her head. "Not yet. It's a toughie, alright. So it's sure to be something they don't want us to know about. I'll keep working on it, though. Something tells me it's very important that we find out what it is they're hiding in there."

"So let's go over the plan again," Barret said. "Biggs?"

He leaned forward in his seat. "Wedge and I'll board the first train along with you, Cloud, and Jessie. Only we'll be in disguise. While you three wait in the back, Wedge and I'll sneak into the first passenger car and disable the security locks on the door."

"After that," Wedge took over, "you guys'll join us just before we hit the security checkpoint. Once we open the doors, you three are gonna jump off into the tunnel and hoof it to the service duct, and that'll take you into the underplate outside Reactor 5."

Jessie went on. "In the meantime, you two'll get off the train at the Sector 4 station, ditch your disguises, and meet us in the underplate to help clear us a path. Shinra's got their security troops in there, tougher than what we saw in Reactor 1, as well as rocket launchers set up along the platforms. Cloud and I barely got away from them."

"Biggs," Barret ordered. "You go get yourself set up at the entrance to Reactor 5. Get it open for us, you hear?"

"Will do, boss," he shot him a thumbs up.

Cloud went next. "After we pick up the bomb, we'll head inside the reactor. Layout's the same, according to the blueprints. So we just go to the reactor core, plant the bomb, and get out. We'll head up to the first floor, leave through the main entrance, and ride the train back down to the slums. Mission complete."

"What about the doors, though?" I asked. "We don't have the codes to open them this time."

"Won't need 'em," Jessie assured me.

I glanced at her. "You've found another way?"

She took out her tablet, turned it on, and tapped it until the layouts for the reactor came up. "In here. The main control room on the upper level. There's a security override in there that'll open the doors, so we'll use it to get out. It's tricky, but I know what to do."

"If that's all," Barret stood up, "then I think we're done here. Go get some rest, people. We got a big day ahead of us."

He was right, and as we all got up and pushed our chairs in, I knew mine would be just as busy. Work and watching Marlene. Not nearly as exciting, maybe, but I didn't mind. Helping to plan our operations was one thing, but actually being a part of one was something I wasn't very comfortable with. I wasn't sure I ever would be.

"So, you decided not to go," Cloud joined me by the bar.

I sighed. "Yeah. Just… didn't feel right."

He nodded. "I understand. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. You'll be here when we get back?"

"Yep! Just like last time. Don't worry about me."

"Sounds good," Cloud said. "I—"

Before he could finish talking, he suddenly doubled over, his hand flying to his temple and his eyes squeezing shut. He staggered and fell, pulling a nearby stool with him as he tumbled into it while Jessie and I ran to him and the others looked on in concern.

"Cloud!" I called to him.

Jessie knelt by his side. "What's wrong, Cloud?"

But he wasn't hearing us. He slumped over and would have landed flat on his back on the floor if Jessie and I hadn't caught him. What was going on? He hadn't had one of these strange attacks in a while, and I'd hoped it was over. But it wasn't, and I didn't know what to make of it or why it kept happening. Jessie looked as worried as I felt. And while we held onto him, Cloud lapsed into unconsciousness.

* * *

_Darkness was all I could see._

_There was nothing. No sound except my own breathing. And nothing around me but blackness. What had happened? One moment, I'd been in the bar talking with Tifa, and the next I had found myself here. It had to be a dream, but why? I had never passed out like that before. As I looked at my hands, I realized I was trembling. Was I afraid? Of what? Or who? I didn't understand. I ran one way and then another, back and forth as I tried to escape the darkness. But it was everywhere._

" _What's happening to me?" I murmured. "I'm shaking…"_

_I was, as if my body was acting independently of my mind and I was just a spectator along for the ride. Something or someone was coming, it was like needles in my head. Taking a deep breath, I tried to get myself to calm down, but I didn't have much success. I looked around, hoping for a way out of the dream, but there wasn't one._

_A thought shot through my mind. "Jessie? Tifa? Where are you? Talk to me! Say something!"_

" _They're not here," a familiar voice whispered._

" _Sephiroth!" I recognized it at once._

_It was him, alright. I turned, and there he was, Masamune in hand. His pale green eyes glowed. "And so it begins."_

_My own eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"_

" _I'm here, Cloud," he said, his smile colder than the Great Glacier. "I am always here. Ever by your side."_

_My blood boiled. "You're dead! I know you are!"_

_Sephiroth laughed softly. "Am I? Are you sure about that?"_

_I hated to admit it, but I wasn't. As I'd told Jessie in the storage room, I couldn't remember what happened that day. To him or me. It was like a wall in my mind, keeping me from the answers, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get past it. I felt as if I didn't even know who I was. Not entirely, anyway. It was maddening._

" _No," I admitted. "And if you're not, I'm gonna find you."_

" _As you should, Cloud. Hold on to that hatred."_

_As if I could ever let it go. My hands clenched into fists as I glared at him. "So how's this gonna end?"_

_Sephiroth swept his katana before him. "In fire."_

_Suddenly he was gone, and I was at the base of the Sector 7 pillar. It was night, and the slums were burning. The smell of smoke was in the air as I gazed up toward the top of the pillar, dread in my heart. And then it began to explode, the upper section above the platform flying apart piece by flaming piece as lines of fire raced across the underside of the plate. It was like something out of a nightmare._

_What was going on? All I could see was a blazing inferno swallowing the entire sector, and in the midst of it all I saw something else, a terrible image that tore through the dream and replaced it with something much worse. A fiery hellscape like nothing I'd ever seen. A massive ball of rock, burning in the sky as it descended upon Midgar._

_When it struck, the dream shattered._

* * *

My eyes flew open. "Jessie?"

"I'm here, Cloud," she said, her hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Tifa asked.

I was laying on the floor of the bar, looking up at the others. Jessie and Tifa were kneeling on either side of me, and above me, Barret and the rest all stood in a circle, their faces worried. Mother hens, the lot of them. I was fine, just blacked out for a moment, but… I had to admit it was nice seeing them all so concerned about me.

I glanced at Tifa. "Yeah. I'm okay."

"Jus' hang in there, merc," Barret said. "Pull it together."

"Worried about me again?" I said as I sat up.

He snorted. "What? Hell no! I jus' don't wanna hafta postpone the mission 'cause of your sorry ass."

Tifa smirked. "Oh, yes you are. Don't try to deny it."

"You were more worried about him than we were!" Jessie chuckled as she and Tifa helped me up.

"The hell I was!" Barret muttered.

I scratched my head. "So how long was I out?"

Biggs let out a relieved sigh. "Only a minute or two. Sure gave us a hell of a scare, though."

I thought back to the vision I'd seen in my dream. The images were scattered, fading fast, but I could still remember them. Fire in the sky. I didn't know what it all meant, but I shivered at the thought of it. What was Sephiroth trying to tell me? What did he want? I still wasn't sure if that had really been him, but I couldn't dismiss it.

"You sure you're okay?" Wedge asked. "You look a bit pale, bro. See a ghost in there or something?"

_If you only knew._ "I'm fine, Wedge."

Jessie hadn't let go of me. "I hope so, Cloud."

Tifa looked away for a minute, as if in thought, then gazed back at us. Her eyes found Jessie. "I've changed my mind. I know you planned to go inside the reactor with Cloud and Barret, but I'd like to take your place, Jessie. I have my reasons."

"You sure 'bout this?" Barret asked.

"Positive," Tifa answered, her tone leaving no room for doubt. "I'm going. I have to go."

Jessie frowned. "What am I supposed to do then?"

"You can help Biggs an' Wedge," Barret answered. "Gettin' the door on the train open an' helpin' to clear us a path through the underplate. Wait for us by the hidin' spot where ya left the bomb. Then, once we're in, fall on back to base with the boys."

"Alright," she sighed. "I guess I can do that."

Barret laid his good hand on her shoulder. "I know ya wanted to be there with us. An' I promise you'll be there on the next one. Jus' let Tifa do what she needs to do, Jessie. It'll be fine."

I folded my arms in front of me. "And the doors?"

"I can hack into the reactor's main computer from my tablet," Jessie said. "I'll watch your progress, and I should even be able to talk to you through the monitors in there. So once you get to the control room, I'll patch in and tell you what you need to do. I might even be able to help you out in other ways, too. I'll stay in touch."

"Awright," Barret agreed. "You do that, Jessie."

Although she wouldn't be going with us like we'd initially planned, Jessie would still be part of the mission. I knew she wouldn't want to be left behind, and I was glad she'd be there even if it wasn't quite the way we'd expected. I didn't fully understand Tifa's abrupt decision to join us on the mission, but I was sure my little episode here had something to do with it. That couldn't have been all there was to it, though. I decided I'd ask her about it later on, maybe tomorrow.

Tifa knelt in front of Marlene when she took her hand. "What is it, sweetie? Something on your mind?"

Marlene glanced shyly at me. "Is Cloud okay?"

"He's fine, Marlene," Tifa smiled. "That was very nice of you to ask about him. Wasn't it, Cloud?"

I blinked. "Uh, yeah. Thanks, Marlene."

She giggled. "You're welcome!"

"So who's gonna watch her while we're gone?" Jessie wondered.

"I can do it," Lena offered.

Barret nodded. "I'm good with that. Thanks, Lena."

Jessie patted my arm and walked over to the pinball machine with the hidden elevator. "Well, I guess I should get to work on your special ID, Cloud. Gotta figure out a disguise, too."

"Any ideas?" I asked.

"I've got one, yeah," she winked. "You'll like it, I'm sure."

As I watched Jessie descend out of sight into the basement, I found I was almost glad she wasn't going into the reactor with us. It wouldn't be as dangerous for her to hang back with Biggs and Wedge. Although I knew she could take care of herself, I still worried about her. Tifa, too. We had a tough mission ahead of us, and there was no telling what was going to happen tomorrow.

No telling at all.


	26. TWENTY-FIVE

## TWENTY-FIVE

"Morning, sleepyhead," Jessie whispered.

I felt her breath in my ear as I woke up, blinking my eyes open. We were in her bed, daylight streaming in through the window. After she'd finished my ID, Jessie and I had left the _Seventh Heaven_ and had come back here to her house for the night, where she had promptly given me the reward she'd promised me earlier for my good driving.

Our fierce passion had left us sweaty, breathless, and content as we had laid in each other's arms, and sleep had overtaken us both not long afterward. There had been no dreams last night, just the warmth of her body next to mine like it was now. I could feel Jessie's heart beating as I slid my arm around her bare back.

I turned to see her smiling at me. "Morning."

"Big day today, huh?" she said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "Real big. You okay?"

Jessie snuggled closer. "A little nervous, but I'll be alright. Just don't want a repeat of Reactor 1, you know?"

I did. "It won't be. You made sure of that, remember?"

"Right. Can't help worrying, though."

"Don't," I told her. "You need to stay focused. We'll get it done, and without any casualties. All there is to it."

Jessie hugged me tight. "Yeah. We will, Cloud. Thanks."

I nodded. "Sure. Oughta get up soon."

"In a few minutes," she said, touching her lips to mine. "Let me lay here with ya a little longer."

That was fine with me, so we stayed in bed for a few more minutes, Jessie with her head on my shoulder. I slid my fingers into her hair, and the softness of her body stirred my blood. I decided I could get used to waking up like this. Sure beat sleeping alone.

Eventually, though, Jessie kissed me and sat up. Then she got out of bed, letting the sheets and blanket fall away from her as she stood. She walked around the bed to the other side opposite her little kitchen and the bathroom and stretched, lifting her arms over her head as she gave me a knowing smirk and made damn sure I could see every last part of her slender, beautiful body.

"Gonna hop in the shower," she winked. "Care to join me?"

I didn't need any convincing. I stood up right away as the corner of my mouth turned up. "Why are we still out here?"

Jessie laughed. "Good one, SOLDIER boy. You tell me."

"Your shower big enough for two?" I asked.

"We'll manage," she promised. Her eyes dropped down, then lifted back up again. "Mmm… somebody's happy to see me."

I stepped closer to her. "Always am."

"Awww, aren't you sweet?" Jessie teased. "How about you show me? In there, of course. It'll be fun!"

"Lead the way," I agreed, my blood on fire.

She did, and I followed her into the bathroom, sharing a few kisses with her on the way as heat and hunger built up between us. And as we stood amidst the steam and hot water, we made good use of the shower in more ways than one. It was small, but there was enough room for us to do what we wanted with each other.

After Jessie and I had finished, water streaming from us as we held onto each other in the midst of our pleasure, our tongues danced for a little while. Then we washed up, helping each other get clean. Covering her with soapy suds while she did the same for me was arousing as hell, but we didn't have time for another round right now, much as we both wanted it. She knew that as well as I did.

"Later," Jessie promised, her eyes on mine. "After the mission."

I nodded. "Count on it."

We were back in the main room just a few minutes later, Jessie in a dark blue bathrobe as she brushed her wet hair. I got dressed while she did that, tugging on my boots and gloves after getting my clothes on. It didn't take long, but as I was shouldering Buster, I noticed that she was still sitting there on the edge of the bed.

"Jessie?" I asked.

She smiled. "I'm fine. You go on ahead, Cloud. I'll catch up in a bit. Gotta get my disguise ready."

"See you soon," I said, understanding.

Reaching up, Jessie slid her right arm around my shoulder, resting her fingers on the back of my neck before gently pulling me down into a long, tender kiss. I took her chin in my thumb and finger, tilting it up toward me, and returned the favor, my heart pounding as always at the softness of her lips touching mine.

"I love you, merc," she whispered. "Don't ever forget it."

"Not a chance," I promised.

* * *

The aromas of eggs, ham, cheese, mushrooms, and chives filled the air as Wedge and I worked on breakfast. Couldn't very well go out on a mission on an empty stomach, after all. Jessie, Cloud, and Biggs weren't here yet, but the others were. Barret and Marlene sat together at one of the longer tables with Lena.

"Almost ready!" I said, adding a pinch of seasoning.

Barret chuckled. "Smells damn good, Tifa!"

Predictably, Wedge was quick to agree. "You got that right! Nothin' better than Tifa's special omelettes!"

He was already in his disguise since we'd be leaving for the mission right after breakfast. A pair of blue denim overalls, brown work boots, and a bright yellow shirt. With that outfit, he looked more like his little brother than himself. A suitcase by the door held his usual gear, with a small jamming device as well to hide his weapons and keep them from setting off the alarms on the train.

Jessie had built them a day or two after the warehouse mission, one for Wedge and one for Biggs. With our change of plans last night, she'd made one for herself, too, before finishing Cloud's ID and going home with him. I was curious what her disguise would be, what she'd be able to come up with on such short notice.

I hadn't meant to push her off the main part of the mission the way I had, but Cloud's collapse had scared me. I had to figure out what was going on with him, what was wrong, so I wanted to stay near him for a while and see if anything came up. It wasn't much, but it was all I could do right now. And I knew Jessie was worried, too.

I was just putting on a pot of coffee when the double doors opened and Biggs walked into the bar. He was in his disguise, too. A dark gray business suit and tie. I'd never seen him dressed so formally before, and I ran a hand through my hair as he greeted everyone and walked up to me, his rigged suitcase in one hand, a small black box in the other, and one of his typical crooked grins on his face.

"Morning, Tif," he said, putting his suitcase down.

It took a moment for me to find my voice. "Morning, Biggs. Looks like you clean up pretty well."

He laughed. "Guess I do, don't I? Thanks."

"Just the truth," I smirked. "So have a seat! The food's almost ready, and the coffee won't be far behind it."

"Sounds good! Oh, and that reminds me…"

I looked at the little box as he held it up. "What's that?"

Biggs carefully put it into my outstretched hands. "Open it and see. Careful, though. It's fragile."

I did as he said, gently putting the box down on the bar. It was just the right size for… no, it couldn't be, could it? As I lifted the flap, I saw that my fingers weren't completely steady. And once I spotted what was inside, I let out a little gasp of surprise and delight.

It was a coffee mug, black with chocobos running across it. Just the same as the one I'd lost earlier in the week. I picked it up out of the box and held it lovingly in my hands, smiling from ear to ear as I felt a rush of warmth sweep through me. Butterflies swirled lazily in my stomach as I looked back up at Biggs.

"Oh, Biggs… thank you!" I gushed. "How'd you find it? I didn't see any when I went looking the other day."

He nodded. "Spotted it at a shop over in Sector 5. Lena and I went there yesterday to spend some time with the kids at the orphanage and bring 'em some more books. Knew how much you liked that other one, so I picked it up for ya soon as I saw it."

Carefully setting my new mug on the counter, I walked around the bar and gave Biggs a tight hug before I could stop to think about what I was doing. I heard the others chuckling about it behind us, but I didn't care. Although he was a little startled at first, Biggs took me in his arms and returned the hug readily enough.

"Never knew you could be so sweet," I said.

He blushed, the first time I'd ever seen him do it. "Uh, thanks, Tif. Glad you like it. Gonna put it to use?"

"Of course!" I grinned.

"Well, ain't you two gettin' all cozy?" Barret quipped.

Now I was blushing too, and I stepped away from Biggs in a hurry as he did the same, neither of us looking at each other at first. I slipped back behind the bar to get everyone's coffee while Biggs sat down with the others at the table. But I hadn't forgotten what Barret had said, and I glanced up at him as I poured the drinks.

"It's not like that!" I insisted.

Biggs scratched his head. "Yeah, we're just… bein' friends."

Barret snorted. "Hell, I ain't blind. Go on an' pretend it's nothin' all ya want, but I know what I see."

Before we could go any farther along that line of conversation, the doors swung open and Cloud walked inside, saving me and Biggs from even more embarrassment without even knowing it. He nodded to the others before coming up to the bar to greet me, and I smiled, pointedly ignoring Barret's smug expression.

"Morning, Cloud!" I handed him a coffee. "Did you rest well?"

He took a sip. "Pretty much. Jessie talks in her sleep."

I laughed. "Really? What does she say?"

"That's between her and me," Cloud smirked.

"Fair enough," I chuckled. "Why don't you go have a seat? The food should be ready in a minute or two."

He did, sliding into a chair opposite Barret while I went back to the kitchen to help Wedge with the omelettes and toast. Everyone was here now but Jessie, and I hoped she'd show up soon. I didn't want her to be late and miss breakfast.

She was probably still working on her disguise, but I decided that if she didn't get here in a few more minutes, I'd message her phone to see if she was okay. Jessie was usually very punctual, but I knew the change of plans last night had caught her off guard. There wasn't much I could do about it, though, so I just focused on my cooking.

* * *

"Hey, Cloud," Barret said. "Gotta ask ya somethin'. An' don't you be laughin' now, ya hear?"

I glanced at him from across the table. "What is it?"

He looked almost embarrassed as he answered. "Well, ya see, uh… I dunno how to use materia. I heard you've been teachin' Jessie how to use it. Mind showin' me how it works?"

"You've never used it?" I asked. "It's not hard."

"Nah. Picked myself up a new gun from the weapon shop, though, an' it had a couple holes in it for 'em. Might as well learn how to use the damn things, I guess. You the expert, right?"

I shrugged. "I know a bit about it."

"So teach me, SOLDIER boy!" Barret grunted.

"Fine," I sighed. "After breakfast. But it'll have to be a quick lesson. We've got a train to catch, remember?"

He snorted. "Hell, I know that! Goddamn smartass…"

Tifa and Wedge were just bringing the food over to the table when Jessie finally arrived. She pushed open the double doors and went right to us, and I found myself standing up to meet her. She had her disguise on now, and she looked so completely unlike herself that I had to blink to make sure it was really her.

Jessie had her auburn hair down, spilling freely over the shoulders of her pressed white blouse, which she'd buttoned all the way up to her collar. She tugged lightly on her long sleeves to straighten them out as I stared at her, my mouth slightly open. Jessie also wore a dark gray skirt that hung down to her knees, black hose, and matching heels. She'd put a little makeup on as well, and it suited her.

But what made me freeze where I stood and forget how to breathe for a moment was her glasses. A pair of thin wireframes that sat lightly upon her nose. They were the finishing touch, and as I looked at them, I suddenly had the strangest feeling, as if I'd seen her this way before. It was so familiar, her entire disguise.

Without warning, a sharp pain shot through my right temple, and I seized it in one hand, clenching my teeth against the sudden pressure. At the same time, I felt something shift in my mind, a faint memory. It hovered right outside my mental reach, and no matter how hard I tried to see what it was, I couldn't. Fog filled my thoughts, a murky haze that blocked the way like a brick wall.

"Cloud?" a voice called. It was Jessie. "You okay?"

The pain vanished so fast I almost thought I'd imagined it. My eyes flew open as I looked at her. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Tifa hurried over to me. "Are you sure? Looked pretty bad."

"Positive," I said, straightening. "Just a headache."

"Not quite the reaction I was hoping for," Jessie smirked as she put her suitcase down. "But what can you do?"

The corner of my mouth turned up. "Nice outfit."

She laughed. "Thanks! You really like it?"

"You look great, Jessie," I said, meaning every word of it. "Way too pretty to be a resistance fighter."

Jessie beamed. "Oh, stop! You're gonna make me blush!"

"Too late," I quipped.

Her cheeks were bright red, even more than the rouge she'd put on them. I figured I must've caught her by surprise for once, since she was usually better at keeping herself composed. But it wasn't very often that I'd ever complimented her like that. Jessie giggled, adjusted her glasses, and touched her lips to mine.

"You're good, merc," she purred. "Real good…"

Barret frowned. "Awright, you two. That's enough. Save it for later, ya hear? We got a mission to do."

Once Tifa and Wedge had laid out the food, they sat down and we all dug in. It was just as good as it smelled, and between the omelettes, toast, juice, and coffee, we made a good start for the day. We didn't talk much, our minds on what was ahead of us, and by the time we were all finished, the reality of it was impossible to ignore.

Lena did the cleanup this morning since the rest of us had to leave. While the others were getting ready, I gave Barret a quick rundown on how to use materia. There wasn't time for any target practice like Jessie and I had done, so he'd just have to learn the rest as we went along. As I stepped back, he rolled his eyes and grunted.

"Shit!" he muttered. "The hell it ain't hard! Didn't get a damn word of it. So _you_ mind the materia, Cloud!"

"You'll figure it out," I said.

He snorted. "Maybe. Got myself a fire materia earlier. Hope it don't blow up in my face."

Tifa laughed. "Oh, don't worry! You'll be fine!"

"I hope so," Barret growled. Then he pumped his fist and grinned. "Awright, people! Move out! To Mako Reactor 5!"

"Good luck, guys!" Lena said.

After we'd all said goodbye to her and Marlene, we headed out, the six of us leaving the _Seventh Heaven_ and walking through the slums to the train station. Jessie went a little ahead with Biggs and Wedge while Tifa, Barret, and I followed. As she made her way steadily up the road, Jessie glanced over her shoulder at me for a moment.

I nodded, and she smiled, blew me a kiss, and went on. She and the guys all had their rigged suitcases, and to everyone else, they were just ordinary travelers on their way to the plate. Although they disappeared from sight a few moments later as they followed the street out of town, I wasn't worried. We'd catch up to them soon.

They were waiting for us on the platform when we got there about ten minutes later, the pillar complex looming ominously overhead not far behind us. I tried not to think about it and avoided looking at it. As we joined the others, I noticed Jessie was doing the same thing. I wasn't surprised and pushed it out my mind as she put her suitcase down and came up to me, giggling mischievously.

"Got your extra special ID right here!" she beamed.

I took it when she handed it to me. A typical Shinra ID card, white with the company logo on it. My picture, too—she'd taken one with her phone a few days ago. I hadn't smiled. Pictures weren't really my thing, you know. Jessie had teased me about it, naturally. According to the ID, I was a SOLDIER First Class working out of the Shinra Building. She'd really gone all out with the details on this one.

"Looks good," I said. "I—"

"Something wrong?" Jessie asked.

I read the name. "Cecil Harvey? What kinda name is that?"

"Well, you can't very well use your real one," she laughed. "Got this one from a story I heard about once. A troubled knight and his strong, beautiful princess in a faraway land."

I smirked. "Figures. You like that kinda stuff, don't you?"

"Yeah! Especially when I get to play the part of the heroic princess! Speaking of which, check out _my_ ID, Cloud!"

Jessie reached into the purse hanging from her shoulder—this was the first time I'd ever seen her use one—took out her wallet, and pulled it open so I could get a good look at her fake ID. When I read the name to the left of her picture, I blinked to make sure I'd seen it right, stared at her, and folded my arms in front of me.

I raised an eyebrow as she put her ID away. "Rosa Harvey? Let me guess… the princess from your story?"

"Nailed it in one," Jessie grinned. "My brave knight."

"So if we've got the same last name on these, then…" I said, having a pretty good idea of what it meant.

She laughed. "Newlyweds! Couldn't resist!"

"Obviously," I replied. "Getting ahead of yourself, aren't you?"

"Well, maybe a little. But it's just for the ID's, Cloud. It's not like we really are… you know. Well, not yet…"

I swallowed. "Let's just take it a step at a time."

"Yes, dear!" Jessie smiled sweetly.

I stifled a groan, knowing it would only amuse her even more. She was certainly having fun, and I supposed it was harmless enough. I still wasn't quite sure what to make of it, though. Jessie enjoyed finding new and interesting ways to tease me and keep me off balance. Trying to get me out of my shell a bit, I guess.

Just ahead of us, Biggs and Wedge were waiting in line, suitcases in hand. Barret and Tifa were nearby, and the platform was full of people waiting for the train to arrive. The murmur of conversation hovered in the early morning air as daylight filled the slums. As I looked back over at Biggs and Wedge, there was a sound of rumbling engines as the train finally got here, pulling up next to the platform with a hiss of steam, its brakes squealing in protest.

"Here we go…" Biggs murmured.

Wedge gulped. "Man, I think I'm gonna be sick…"

Barret heard them and walked over, a pair of protective sunglasses covering his eyes. "'Sup, guys. Got a problem?"

"Just… not sure we can do this," Wedge shivered.

"Yeah," Biggs sighed. "The first one was… rough. We always knew things'd get messy. We're just worried."

Jessie went to them and put a hand on each of their shoulders. "It'll be fine, you'll see! We can do this, guys! And when it's all over, we'll go someplace fun and relax for a while!"

"You sure?" Wedge asked.

"Positive!" she winked. Then she turned to me, hands on her hips. "You're coming, too! Right, Cloud?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Jessie grinned. "Awesome! Sounds like a plan!"

"Count me in!" Tifa chuckled.

"Definitely! And what about you, Barret? Care to join us?"

He shrugged. "Might as well, I s'pose. Train's ready, though, so you guys better quit yappin' an' get on board."

Biggs and Wedge nodded and went inside. They were as concerned about what Shinra's response to our attacks would be as we were. Jessie had found a way to set their minds at ease, though, as least a little, and I knew it would help them focus on the mission. Barret followed them into the train without a word.

Jessie smirked. "Come on, honey! Don't be late!"

Then she stepped on board, too, her eyes twinkling with mirth and excitement. I knew some of it was just her having fun, but it was also a way for her to deal with the reality of what we were doing and not have another breakdown. So I just played along with it, letting the corner of my mouth turn up a little as I started to follow her into the train. But as I took the rail, I glanced back at Sector 7.

"Everything alright, Cloud?" Tifa wondered.

For a moment, I wasn't sure. "Just had a funny feeling. Like I'm not gonna see this place again."

She frowned. "Don't be talking like that!"

I knew Tifa was worried about me, especially after I'd collapsed last night. But as I gazed at the place that had become home to me over the last two months, I couldn't ignore my instincts. Something told me this was the last time I'd ever be here. That I wouldn't see Jessie's little house or the bar or her shop again. None of it.

"Not saying I'm gonna die," I explained. "Just… won't see it again. I don't know what it means."

Tifa sighed. "Neither do I. And I don't like it."

I didn't, either. "Same here. It's kinda funny, though."

"Why's that?" she asked.

"Didn't come here looking for friends," I told her. "But I found 'em anyway. And now that I have… I don't want to leave."

Tifa's smile was huge. "Oh, Cloud…"

I looked away, a little embarrassed. "Don't tell the others."

"I won't," she laughed. "And we'll all make it home safe and sound. That includes you. Understand?"

"Yeah," I answered.

Tifa patted my shoulder as she boarded the train. "Then we should get going. We've got a mission to do."

As I started to follow her inside, I took a last look around, my eyes drifting back the way we'd come. I couldn't see the bar from here, but it was in my thoughts. And then my gaze shifted upward from the slums to the pillar and the underside of the plate. I thought of what I'd seen in my dream last night when I had blacked out.

Could it really happen? Fire in the night, blazing across the sector. I hoped not, but I couldn't forget about it. And how did that glimpse of Jessie's future tie into it? Would Shinra really attack the pillar? Why? It didn't make any sense. All I knew was that I wanted to get this mission over with and get back here as soon as possible.

With a sigh, I went into the train.


	27. TWENTY-SIX

## TWENTY-SIX

They was still busy connectin' the cars when we got onto the train, so I knew we'd have at least a few minutes before we finally got movin'. Jus' enough time to go over the plan again. We all knew what we had to do an' when, but I wasn't takin' any chances.

While Cloud an' Tifa waited with me at the far end of the train car, Jessie, Biggs, an' Wedge went an' sat down. Place was damn well packed today, full as I'd ever seen. Not the place to have a private meetin'. That in mind, I walked over to my team, decidin' to send 'em on ahead. We'd have to act fast once the train started movin', so it'd be best if they went ahead an' got themselves into position.

"Better split up, guys," I said. "Too many ears here."

Jessie got up first. "Right! We'll head on down the line, Barret. And we'll be ready. See ya!"

After the boys joined her, all three of 'em gave me a thumbs up, an' I shot 'em one in return, flashin' 'em a grin as I did. They did the same, then went through the door to the next car. Jessie stopped for just a sec on the way, smilin' over her shoulder at Cloud an' adjustin' her glasses. He nodded back at her, the corners of his mouth jus' barely turnin' up, an' watched her disappear into the next car.

I was jus' about to rejoin him an' Tifa when I heard someone sittin' behind me mutterin' to himself. Wouldn't have cared, but what he said got my attention 'cause it was 'bout me. I scowled soon as I heard him. A dark-haired guy in a red business suit an' a black tie with a briefcase. He grimaced, not knowin' yet that I'd heard him.

"Just my luck," he complained. "This creep again."

"Got somethin' to say?" I headed toward him an' asked. He'd heard me, of course. I didn't doubt that. He jus' didn't wanna 'fess up to what he'd said. So I tried again. "You say somethin'?"

When I did, most of the other folks in here got up an' went into the next car, none of 'em darin' to look me in the eye. Probably afraid I was gonna cause trouble. I could feel 'em all starin' at me as they hurried on past. It was the gun-arm. Tended to scare people sometimes, and while it would've been nice to be able to go places without 'em bein' afraid of me for once, it was a small price to pay to be able to fight Shinra. Them bastards took my arm an' a whole lot more.

That guy in the dark red suit still kept his trap shut. So I went over an' stood right in front of him. "Well, how 'bout that? Place cleared out real quick. What's the deal?"

_Now_ he looked up. _"_ _Damn!_ It… it's all… it's all because of… g-guys like you. Thugs p-pushing everyone around…"

"Say that again!" I slammed the seat next to him.

"Don't you watch the news? Avalanche is gonna attack again! More bombings. And on such a dangerous day, only a loyal Shinra employee like me would even think of going to work."

I raised my gun-arm. "You work for Shinra?"

"Barret!" Tifa dashed in between us, arms out to either side an' her eyes blazin' as she stared me down. "Enough!"

That little Shinra manager cowered in his seat, hands on his head. I snorted an' lowered my arm, then Tifa brought both of hers down, too. The guy glanced up at me after that, meetin' my eyes for the first time. Well, he would've if I'd taken my sunglasses off. He quit shakin' and sat up again, bolder now with Tifa coverin' his ass.

"I won't give in to violence," he told me. "And you're not getting my seat, either. Go sit somewhere else."

"Hmph! Lucky son of a bitch," I muttered.

I followed Tifa to the back of the train car, where Cloud was waitin' for us. But before the merc could even open his mouth to let out some smart remark about what had happened with the Shinra manager, Tifa whirled on me, still pissed, hands flyin' to her hips as she stood with us an' glared at me. Her gaze was like knives.

"What's the matter with you!?" she demanded.

I clenched my hand into a fist. "All them damn Shinra jus' piss me off, Tifa. You know that."

She didn't budge. "Do I ever! But what you did was wrong."

"Hell, I was jus' tryin' to rattle him," I argued. "Not like I was really gonna kill the guy."

"Are you sure?" Tifa prodded.

I opened my mouth to tell her I was, but then I realized I couldn't. An' I was willin' to bet that she'd known it. But she didn't understand. It wasn't somethin' I'd ever brought up. Not to her or even to my team. I'd come a long way an' a hard road, harder than any of 'em knew. Marlene was my reason to live an' fight, an' the last part of a past Shinra's troops had burned away a long time ago.

Merc cut in before I could say anythin'. "So what now?"

Pretty slick, changin' the subject like that. SOLDIER boy knew jus' what he was doin', gettin' our attention back on the mission the way he had. Annoyed the hell outta me, though. That an' how he jus' stood by the wall, arms crossed in front of him, cool as ice. Them glowin' eyes of his stared hard at me, waitin' for an answer.

"Shit!" I growled. "The hell you so calm for, merc? My rhythm's all busted up now, thanks to you."

"You're welcome," he shot back.

I snorted. "Smartass."

Jus' then, we heard a loud rumblin' from outside followed by a hiss of steam. Tifa looked up. "Well, if you two are about finished, it sounds like they just got done connecting the cars. We should be leaving soon. And I'd say it's about time."

"Then let's go over the plan," Cloud said.

"Hah!" I laughed. "Wanna get right to work, don'tcha?"

The kid jus' stared at me as the train started movin'. Couldn't take a joke, I guess. His face had all the expression of a chunk of rock. Dunno what the hell Jessie saw in him sometimes. But she was happy enough. An' he was a helluva good fighter. So I decided I could put up with him for now. No choice, really. We had a mission to do.

I went on. "Awright, then. Let's get down to business. You know the security checkpoint Jessie was tellin' you 'bout? Saw you two on the last mission lookin' at the monitor together."

"Yeah, she explained it to me," Cloud said.

"Good. Anyway, we'll be hittin' it soon. Jessie probably gave ya the details already, but I'll go ahead an' remind you anyway. It's an ID scan system checkin' out all the trains."

Tifa grimaced. "Shinra's very proud of it."

That they was. "Since the train's runnin' in security mode, our fake ID's ain't gonna hold up once we get to the scan."

Jus' then, the overhead speaker came on with a lil' chime. Then the conductor's voice came on. "Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Midgar Lines. Our arrival time at Sector 4 Station will be 10:45am. We hope you have a pleasant day."

"Security checkpoint's comin' up in ten minutes, so we'll jus' jump on outta here in five. Got it?"

Cloud an' Tifa both nodded, then headed down to the other end of the car to watch the monitor. Well, the merc jus' stood there at first 'till she convinced him to move in closer for a better look. Meanwhile, I sat down an' waited while the train rumbled under our feet along the rails. I hate waitin'. Always takes so damn long.

I was jus' startin' to relax when suddenly them flashin' red security lights came on, sweepin' all down the length of the car. I shot to my feet as Tifa an' Cloud both looked up. A slight frown was all the expression SOLDIER boy was showin', but that was still more than what I'd usually seen on him. An' if he was worried, so was I.

"Strange," Tifa said. "The ID scan, it should've been further down. Closer to the plate, remember?"

"Yeah. Doesn't make sense," Cloud agreed.

Suddenly, a buncha sirens started goin' off, beepin' like crazy while the overhead speakers blared warnin's again an' again. _"_ _Type A Security Alert! Multiple unidentified passengers detected! All cars will be searched immediately! Repeat! This is a Type A Security Alert!"_

I joined the others. "The hell's goin' on!?"

Suddenly, the door to the next car slid open an' Jessie came runnin' in, her eyes wide an' worried behind her glasses as she beckoned to us. She'd kicked off her heels on the way in, an' we all looked at her soon as she stopped in front of us.

"We're in trouble!" she told us, pointin' behind her at the door she'd jus' come from. "No time for questions, I'll explain later! Just get to the next car! Hurry! We've gotta move before—"

There was a crashin' of glass all 'round us as several drones burst in through the windows. They flew right for us, sizzlin' bolts of electricity sparkin' from their four lil' legs. They looked almost like metal spiders, with an antenna on the back an' a red sensor light on the front of their domed bodies. I whipped up my gun-arm.

"Slug-rays!" Jessie warned. "Shinra sentry mechs. They'll stun you if you're not careful!"

Tifa brought up her fists. "Cloud!"

"On it," he nodded, drawin' that bigass sword of his.

"Stay behind us, Jessie," I ordered her. "You ain't got your gun on ya right now, so jus' let us handle it."

That said, I opened up, firin' at the nearest mech. Blew up in a nice shower of sparks an' fire while Cloud an' Tifa laid into two others, fists an' steel makin' short work of 'em. But then another wave came in, four more of the damn things. They started shootin' back, bullets chewin' at the walls an' seats but jus' missin' us.

Mr. Shinra Manager was still in here, on his hands an' knees on the floor now as he tried to crawl toward the door behind us. But between him an' the exit was them four slug-rays. They was all fightin' us at the moment, swarmin' around like gnats as he crept under 'em an' tried not to be noticed. But then one of 'em did.

Jessie moved before we could, runnin' in an' reachin' for him jus' as the mech drew in its legs and jabbed at him with 'em like a spear. With her help, he got outta the way jus' in time, but then it started sparkin' as it rose up again, ready to fire. Much as I hated helpin' the guy, I shifted my aim to fire at the slug-ray.

Jus' a second too slow, though.

The guy flinched as the mech fired a blast of electrical energy right at him, but Jessie was faster, grabbin' him by the shoulders an' spinnin' him around. Then she pushed him away, usin' her momentum to shove him toward the door jus' as the slug-ray's shot hit her in the back. Jessie immediately went rigid, bright blue sparks of current sizzlin' across her body an' makin' it twitch an' spasm uncontrollably.

"Jessie!" Tifa yelled.

"Shit!" I blasted the mech to pieces.

Cloud growled an' cut down the others in a string of quick slashes, then shouldered his blade an' hurried over to Jessie while Tifa an' I did the same. She was still twitchin', her eyes wide, but after a moment, the blast's effect finally wore off. Jessie slumped forward an' would've fallen if Cloud an' Tifa hadn't caught her.

"You okay?" Tifa asked, easin' her to the floor.

"A little cooked, but I'll be fine," Jessie gave us a weak laugh. "Now I know what a microwave dinner feels like."

Cloud knelt down next to her. "Think you can walk?"

"I'm still a little tingly, but yeah," she answered, lettin' him help her to her feet. "Don't worry about me, Cloud. I—"

Soon as he let go of her, though, Jessie started fallin' forward as her legs wobbled like rubber an' gave way under her. But Cloud caught her quick as a cat, takin' hold of her in both hands an' sweepin' her right up off her feet. He held her easily in his arms, one under her thighs an' the other wrapped firmly 'round her lower back.

"You were saying?" he quipped.

Jessie grinned sheepishly. "Then again, maybe not…"

The guy in the red suit stood up an' looked at her. "Um, thank you, ma'am. But… why'd you do it? I work for Shinra."

"We don't want anyone else to get hurt," Tifa answered.

"Get goin'," Cloud added.

Mr. Shinra Manager nodded and disappeared into the next car. As we got ready go, I glanced around, seein' the red lights still flashin' over the ruined mechs as the alarms kept goin' off. The fight had driven any thought of them alerts an' what was happenin' outta my mind, but as I looked at the empty car, I remembered.

I grimaced an' shook my head. "Damn. Someone screwed up…"

"We'd better go," Tifa said.

"Yeah," Jessie agreed. Then she sighed, though it didn't sound even remotely convincin' to me. "This so embarrassing. I really hate playing the damsel in distress."

Cloud jus' carried her through the door. "It happens."

We headed into the next car, where Mr. Shinra Manager and a few folks were all sittin' in the seats waitin' this whole thing out. Wedge an' Biggs were there, too, standin' nearby an' lookin' 'round anxiously. As I moved toward 'em, another alert suddenly came through the overhead speakers, an' we took a moment to listen.

" _Upgrading to Level 2! Preparing for lockdown!"_

"Hurry up!" Biggs motioned to us.

"They're gonna seal the doors, boss!" Wedge said.

Jessie glanced at us from her place in Cloud's arms. "Just run, guys! There's no time! Switch to Plan B!"

I pointed ahead of us. "You heard her! Go!"

We got movin', runnin' to the next door, an' hurried from car to car down the train, one after another. No stoppin' yet, though. Alarms kept blarin' overhead, but we didn't slow down 'till we got to one of the front cars an' the red lights finally switched off. The alerts cut off, too. We all stopped an' caught our breath for a moment.

"Awright!" I said. "We clear?"

Jessie shook her head. "Not yet. They'll be starting another scan in a minute, and if we're caught, we're dead. Don't worry, though. As long as we keep moving up the train, we'll make it."

Tifa nodded. "Then let's do it."

"Cloud, go ahead and put me down," Jessie glanced up at him. "I'm feeling better now. I'll be okay."

"You sure?" he asked.

She smiled. "Oh, you _really_ know how to tempt a girl, don't ya? But I'm alright. I can go on my feet from here."

Cloud gently put her down while me an' the rest started headin' on toward the door. Holdin' his hand at first to steady herself, Jessie stood for a moment, then let go an' took a few steps. To my relief, she did jus' fine, like she'd never been shot.

"Better?" Cloud said, movin' up to her.

She gave him a thumbs up. "Yep! Thanks for the lift!"

"Anytime," he told her.

With that done, we all hurried on, Cloud an' Jessie behind me with the others ahead of us. A few other folks was walkin' 'round, includin' a red-haired guy in a black leather jacket, but I didn't pay no attention to 'em 'cause I was so set on gettin' up front past the ID scan. So when that guy brushed past me, it was a couple seconds before I realized that my wallet was gone. Damn sneak had stolen it.

I whirled 'round. "Hey! You!"

Guy started to make a break for it, but Jessie tripped him an' he fell to the floor. Looked up to see Cloud standin' over him, hand out an' his blue mako eyes glowin'. Guy took one look, shoved my wallet right into his hand, then scampered off without a word. Merc tossed it to me, an' I caught it with my good arm, noddin' my thanks.

It was jus' a minute later that we finally rushed inside the last car. It was jus' us in here, fortunately. While Cloud closed the door behind us, Jessie hurried over to help Biggs get the side exit open. The panel next to it was a mess of wires as they worked. Didn't take long, an' Cloud an' Tifa stood with me an' watched 'em go at it while Wedge kept an eye on the other door jus' in case.

"And… bam!" Biggs grinned as the door slid open.

I clapped him on the shoulder. "Good job. We made it! Now comes the hard part. We gonna dive on outta here!"

Tifa glanced out the open doorway. "Scary, isn't it?"

"Can't back out now," Cloud reminded her. "Why'd you come along anyway? It _was_ kinda last minute."

"Well, you see…" she started, not meetin' his eyes.

I frowned. "Hey! We ain't got time for that! So get movin'!"

Tifa straightened. "Right. My mind's made up. I'm gonna jump! So keep your eyes on me!"

Crouchin' down, the wind from the train's acceleration blowin' her hair, she eyed the openin' carefully, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Then, just a second later, she jumped, leapin' off the train an' into the tunnel, disappearin' from sight.

Cloud glanced at me. "Mind if I go first?"

"Nah," I said. "I'm stayin' to the end, merc. Part of bein' a leader. So don't you go worryin' 'bout me."

"You think I would?" he raised an eyebrow.

Jessie winked. "I do."

I chuckled. "She's got ya there, SOLDIER boy. Gotta act all cool an' badass, though, don't ya? I get it."

"Apparently," he said.

"Better go, though," I went on. "And you watch yourself, you hear? Don't be gettin' your spiky ass hurt."

He folded his arms in front of him. "Now who's worried?"

"Sure as hell ain't me, Cloud. Mission's jus' gettin' started, so go on an' jump before I push you out!"

I wasn't mad, not really. Jus' fired up thinkin' of what we was gonna do. Didn't wanna admit the kid wasn't as bad as I'd first thought. Cloud started to move to the door, but then Jessie caught his arm, turned him toward her, an' kissed him.

"Gonna leave without saying goodbye?" she smirked.

"I… no," Cloud said.

Jessie smiled. "Good. I'll meet you in our special place, okay? And I'm so glad you liked my disguise! Made my day."

"Sure," he nodded. "See you there."

Then he was gone, jumpin' outta the train same as Tifa'd done. We was gettin' close to the station, so I headed over to the door myself. Jus' before I made my exit, though, I looked back at the others. They knew what to do, an' despite the alarm goin' off early, we was still on track to finish the mission jus' like we'd planned.

I gave 'em a thumbs up. "Later! See to the rest, guys."

Jessie shot me one back. "As soon as we get off the train, we'll haul our asses over to the underplate."

"After we get changed," Wedge reminded her.

Biggs pointed to their three suitcases. "Me and Wedge got our gear together while Jessie was headin' back to warn ya. So we're all set, boss. Catch ya on the flipside!"

Then he an' Wedge both grinned an' gave me a thumbs up of their own to match Jessie's. They'd lay low for the rest of the ride. Once I was gone, the alert would stop soon enough. Jessie an' the guys could easily pass themselves off as jus' a few more rattled passengers. I knew they'd be fine, so I waved, turned, an' jumped.

* * *

A few minutes later, I saw Barret ambling down the tunnel toward me. I'd been waiting for him where I'd landed, just as we'd planned. Tifa was doing the same thing somewhere further back, and I didn't think it would take too long for us to find her. I straightened up from where I'd been leaning against the wall as Barret approached.

"Ready, merc?" he asked.

I nodded. "Tifa shouldn't be far behind us."

He kept on walking. "Then let's go meet her. The others oughta be on their way by now, too. Includin' your girlfriend."

"The hell?" I blinked, falling in beside him.

"Dunno what all happened last night when you an' Jessie was at the underplate, but she seems a lot happier today."

I glared at him. "That's private."

Barret laughed. "No shit, merc. Jus' sayin' it ain't gone unnoticed, is all. Been worried 'bout her since Reactor 1."

"She's fine," I told him.

"I think so, too. An' you'd best help her stay that way."

As if I needed the reminder. "I intend to."

"Good," Barret said. "She an' the guys'll have everythin' ready soon as we get there. So we still on track."

"That supposed to be a joke?" I raised an eyebrow.

He scratched his head, then chuckled when he understood. "Guess it was, SOLDIER boy. Didn't even know it. On track! Hah! Jus' what we been walkin' on, ain't it?"

I shrugged. "Obviously."

"Damn, but you a tough nut to crack, ain't ya?"

"Tough as you'll ever see," I said.

Barret snickered. "You _ever_ smile or laugh, merc? Bein' frosty's one thing, but you downright frigid sometimes."

"Depends," I replied.

I thought of how Jessie and I had laughed together last night in the little storage room, how safe I'd felt doing that with her in that place. It had taken a while, but she'd managed to poke a hole in that hard shell I always wore like a second skin.

"Ain't gonna kill ya to loosen up a bit, you know," Barret suggested. "Might wanna give it a try."

"No promises," I answered.

He snorted and we went on, walking down the tunnel side by side. We followed the tracks as they curved to the right, and soon we found Tifa just up ahead. She smiled and waved when she saw us. I gave her a nod as Barret and I approached her.

"Hi, guys!" Tifa called. "Glad you could make it!"

Barret laughed. "Wouldn't miss it!"

"You wait long?" I asked.

"Not really," Tifa adjusted her fighting gloves. "But be careful. I saw some webs nearby. Might be grashtrikes around."

I noticed them now, too. "Looks like it."

"We'll take care of 'em if they show up," Barret hefted his gun-arm. "Now let's get movin'. An' don't be lettin' your guard down 'till we get to the reactor. Stay alert, guys."

Tifa glanced around the tunnel as we walked. "You know, it looks a lot bigger from out here…"

It did, actually. "Yeah, Tif. I think you're right."

As we went on, we climbed up onto a nearby service platform that ran alongside the tunnel for a bit. The duct we were looking for wasn't the same one that Jessie and I had used last night, but it led to the same place. According to the tunnel map we'd gone over the other day, it was just a short distance past the platform.

Webs were everywhere up here, coating the walls, ceiling, and a lot of the floor. My hand flew to Buster as a scuttling, slurping sound filled the air and half a dozen grashtrikes wove toward us. Looking like giant gray slugs, they had two antennae, a pair of short arms like tentacles, a long snout, beady eyes, and a barbed tail.

"Damn, I hate bugs," Barret brought up his gun-arm.

"Watch your step," Tifa reminded us, her fists ready. "These webs'll really slow you down if you're not careful."

We rushed in, weapons ready, and tore into the things, each taking a different target. I cut down two with a series of quick slashes followed by a leaping chop while Barret filled another with bullets and Tifa hit a third with a quick string of punches and kicks that left it bloodied and broken on the floor. Then she lifted her glove and concentrated on the Ice materia embedded in the slot.

A second later, biting shards of frost cut into another grashtrike as its rubbery hide cracked under the spell's deep cold. Its screech of pain was abruptly cut short as I clove the bug in two with Buster and Barret took out the last one with a burst of gunfire.

"Hell, that wasn't such a chore, now was it?" he smirked.

"Not done yet," I corrected him.

More grashtrikes slithered out onto the platform from huge gouges in the walls where they'd made their tunnels. One of the monsters was huge, twice as big as the rest and over six feet long. It looked more like a scorpion than a slug, though, with arms ending in sharp pincers and a tail much longer than those of the smaller grashtrikes. The barbed tip was slick with venom as it hung over its body.

Tifa swallowed. "Looks like the queen's come out to play."

"Oh, _hell_ no…" Barret grimaced.

"Tifa!" I said, hefting Buster. "They don't like ice! Queen's probably weak to it, too. So hit her hard! I'll back you up!"

She readied her materia. "You got it!"

I charged at the bugs, Tifa right behind me while Barret covered us with his gun-arm. Slicing and thrusting my way through the creatures while she blasted them with cold, I focused on the queen. It went right for me, which was what I'd been hoping for. If I could keep its attention fixed on me, that would make it that much easier for Tifa to pummel it into submission with both fists and frost.

Ignoring the small fry, I sliced at the queen, scoring a hit across its hide, but it was only a shallow one. The creature's carapace was tougher and harder than those of the other grashtrikes. It was gonna take a few more slashes to get at anything vital. The queen snapped at me with its pincers, but I dodged out of the way as Tifa struck it from behind with a burst of piercing cold that left it squealing.

"Watch the tail!" I warned.

Ignoring the sound of Barret ripping into the other bugs around us with sprays of lead, I slashed at the queen again before it could turn to go after Tifa. Just as I'd thought, it struck at me, getting a glancing blow with a pincer but no more than that. Then it spat a web at me, trying to trap me, but I rolled out of the way and sprang back to my feet just as it shuddered under the impact of Tifa's fists and feet followed by another ice spell that cracked open its carapace.

While I rushed back in, slicing the queen with a vicious triple slash and a spinning overhead chop, Tifa did a leaping flip onto its back and slammed her feet into its spine in a pair of sharp, diving kicks. The bug screeched in pain as she jumped off. But when she landed, her foot got tangled in a cluster of webbing, and she fell.

I moved fast, but not fast enough. The queen's barbed tail whipped to the side and down, catching Tifa in the arm while she was struggling to get up. She cried out, gritted her teeth, and let loose another ice spell just as the tail struck at her again. The biting cold shattered it to pieces while I cut the queen's head in two in a single downward chop, roaring as I did it. The thing shuddered and lay still.

"Tifa!" I hurried over her.

She yanked her foot free and slowly stood up, clutching her arm as Barret finished off the last of the smaller grashtrikes. As I reached Tifa, I shouldered Buster and looked at her left arm. She'd been stung above her wrist when she'd been trying to shield herself from the blow, and it was already red and swelling.

"Poison?" she asked.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Does it hurt?"

Tifa winced. "Like hell, Cloud. I can manage, though."

Barret joined us. "Had Biggs pick up some antidotes on the way to the bar this mornin' since Reactor 5's s'posed to be toxic as hell. Guess I shoulda had him give 'em to us before we left."

"Not your fault, Barret," Tifa told him. "Let's just find him."

"Think you can make it?" he said.

A pained grin crossed her face. "Watch me."

After I used my Restore materia to take care of the minor cuts and scratches we'd all gotten during the battle, we started moving again. At first, Tifa had been able to walk on her own, though slowly. But after a few minutes, her skin was flushed and sweaty, and she staggered. I took hold of her arm to help her stay on her feet.

We got to our destination not long after that. A service duct sitting at the base of the wall on the lefthand side of the tunnel. Letting Barret see to Tifa, I knelt down, pulled the metal grating off the opening, and set it on the ground. Then we all peered inside.

"Looks clear," Tifa breathed. "I don't see… anything we… could get stuck on. Should be… good to go."

I agreed. "Yeah. It's a one-way trip, though."

Barret grimaced. "Damn, that hole's tiny. I'll barely fit in there. You sure there's no other way into the underplate?"

"Positive," I sighed. "The duct Jessie and I took last night is too far away from here. We'd have to walk another ten minutes back down the tunnel. And Tifa doesn't have that kind of time."

Her face had taken on a clear greenish cast, and she was starting to tremble as she leaned there against Barret, her breathing heavy. I didn't like how she looked, and while she was putting on a brave, tough front like I'd known she would, the venom was clearly draining her. Tifa saw me looking at her and smiled.

"I'll be fine, Cloud," she said. "Don't worry."

I looked away. "Can't help it."

Tifa managed a weak laugh. "I know. But you've… got a promise to keep, remember? Guess I'm… in a real bind here."

"I'll get you out," I met her gaze.

"You'd better!" she teased. "I just hope… Jessie doesn't mind me… borrowing her hero… for a little while."

I knew she wouldn't. "She'd tell me to save your ass."

"Then I guess… you should," Tifa smirked.

I nodded. "Yeah, Tif. Let's move."

Barret sighed as he looked at the narrow duct. "S'pose you're right, merc. Scares the shit outta me, though."

"Wanna… hold my hand?" Tifa chuckled.

"Looks like _I'm_ the one holdin' _you,_ girl," he grinned.

She nodded. "Can't argue with that."

I crawled into the duct, and then, between Barret and I, we helped Tifa get in. He came last, and when we were all inside, we got moving. I set us a slow but steady pace as we went along, able to see in the dark a little thanks to the mako in my system. With the train and tunnel now behind us, we made our way down the service duct toward the Sector 4 underplate and the next phase of the mission.


	28. TWENTY-SEVEN

## TWENTY-SEVEN

I let go of Barret as I stepped out of the duct and into the darkened tunnel leading to the underplate. My left arm stung as if I'd stuck it into a hornet's nest, and my blood felt like it was on fire. But despite all that, I pushed on, needing to stay on my feet and keep going. Sweat covered my skin, and the wound had already swollen up and had turned a dark reddish-purple color. Although I felt a little dizzy, I shook it off as best I could and gave the guys an encouraging smile.

"So far… so good," I said.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. Shouldn't be much further."

A hand fell on my shoulder as Barret stood by me. "Need to take a breather for a sec, Tif?"

"No," I shook my head. "I'll be alright."

With Cloud in front, Barret behind, and me in the middle, we kept going, making our way carefully through a network of low tunnels and ladders. It was a bit of a challenge to climb down those things with my wounded arm and the poison running through me, but I did it anyway. Cloud glanced back at me every now and then but didn't say anything. I could tell he was worried, though.

We finally made it out onto the underplate a few minutes later, and as we started to make our way across it, the loud, unmistakable sounds of gunfire and explosions reached our ears. We all looked at each other, then pushed forward across the platforms, the slums lying far below us as we went. I shivered at the thought of the long drop and kept my eyes fixed ahead of me. I did _not_ like heights.

After making our way around one of the huge lamps that shone its false daylight down onto the slums, we raced across a narrow walkway to one of the larger platforms in the center of the underplate. Jessie and Wedge were back in their normal gear and fighting desperately against a large group of elite grunts that had them pinned down near a cluster of wooden crates. Past them, another walkway led to a high ladder, and more platforms stretched off to either side.

"Guys!" Wedge saw us. "Could really use a hand here!"

Jessie tossed one of her grenades at the mob of grunts, taking out a few and wounding several others with the blast. "How'd you like that? I got plenty more for ya right here!"

Barret charged in, firing his gun-arm. "Avalanche!"

"Don't suppose I could convince you to wait here?" Cloud glanced at me as he drew his sword.

"Not a chance," I grinned. "You'd be… wasting your breath."

He smirked. "Thought you'd say that. Let's go."

Bringing up my fists and doing my best to ignore the pain and stay on my feet, I followed Cloud as he ran in. While he cut down grunts as if they were paper, I focused my energy and laid into a few others with a deadly shower of punches and kicks that left them flat on the ground. I'd taken a few hits from their energy bolts in the process, though, with my reflexes being slowed by the poison.

Panting for breath, I searched for another target while Barret shot down another pair of grunts. But more were coming. Jessie and Wedge fed bullets into three of them while Cloud swept his sword in wide arcs that threw them back. Then Jessie thrust out her right arm and hurled a lighting bolt squarely into another grunt, tossing him across the deck like a rag doll as her materia glowed brightly on her wrist. Looked like she was really starting to get the hang of it.

Then I spotted something in the corner. "Shit…"

One of the rocket launchers Cloud had mentioned was starting to activate. The others were all tied up with the remaining grunts, so they couldn't stop it. I sped toward it, drawing back my fist as I did. As soon as I got in range, I slammed it into the launcher with a burst of energy, as much as I could manage. The machine shuddered and started to fall apart, but not before it managed to fire a single rocket. As the launcher collapsed, I whirled around, my eyes wide.

"Look out!" I yelled.

The missile flew straight into the crates Wedge and Jessie had been hiding behind, blowing them up and throwing my friends flat on their backs a few feet away. I ran to them while Cloud and Barret continued fighting the grunts even as my breath came in heavy gasps. As much as I tried, I couldn't keep pushing myself like this.

Wedge sat up and rubbed his bottom. "Man, that was close…"

"Too close," Jessie agreed, getting to her feet.

"You guys okay?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. Just got tossed around a bit. You don't look too good, though, Tifa."

"I've been better," I grimaced.

Jessie started to stay something, but then she suddenly whipped up her gun. "Behind you! Duck!"

I dropped to the floor and spun around just as she opened fire on a flying, monstrous thing that looked like a giant seahorse. It had a small fin on its back, dark green scales all over its body, and a long, whiplike tail ending in a curved, razor sharp claw. It screeched when Jessie shot it, the bullets driving it backward, but it didn't fall. Gritting my teeth as my blood kept burning, I drove upward with a fierce uppercut that hit the monster square in the head.

It flew across the rail and fell squealing to the slums. And although I could see more of them floating around, surging toward us, I sank to my knees, my hands flat on the deck as my body trembled and I started getting dizzy again. And there were still several of those elite grunts left as well. Cloud and Barret were keeping them at bay, for the moment at least, but I didn't know how long it could last.

Barret shot one of the flying monsters. "The hell are these?"

"Terpsicolts," Jessie answered, firing at another. "Monsters bred by Shinra to guard places like this."

"Shinra made these goddamn things?" he spat.

Cloud cut down another grunt. "Worry about it later! We're a little busy right now. Where's Biggs?"

Wedge pointed off to the left. "That way! There's another platform not far from here, and a ladder that leads into a different section of the underplate near Reactor 5. We were jumped by these grunts as soon as we got here. Bad timing, I guess."

"Held 'em off so Biggs could get away," Jessie added.

"Tifa's gotta get to him fast," Cloud glanced at her and Wedge, then Barret. "Or that poison's gonna kill her."

He nodded. "Jus' leave it to me, merc. I'll get her there."

I glanced at Cloud. "You sure… about this?"

"Made you a promise, Tif," he reminded me. "And I'm gonna keep it. Now go! I'll meet up with you later!"

As Barret tugged on my arm, Cloud turned, brought up his sword, and charged into the crowd of grunts and terpsicolts swarming around us, Jessie and Wedge right behind him, guns blazing. I tore my eyes off them, leaning heavily against Barret as he slid his good arm around my waist to help me stay on my feet.

We hurried away, moving across the suspended platforms as fast as we could in the direction Biggs had gone. Didn't run into any enemies out that way, fortunately—Cloud and the others seemed to have done a good job drawing their attention—so we didn't have much difficulty in getting to where we needed to go.

As we got farther away and the sounds of battle faded behind us, it got harder and harder for me to concentrate. The pain was worse now, fire in my veins, and it was all I could do to keep moving. All I knew to do was try and take one step after another. Everything was a blur in my mind, and I barely heard Barret encouraging me.

"Jus' keep goin', girl," he said. "You doin' fine. Ladder's in sight, too. We almost there, so don't be givin' up now."

"Not… happening…" I gave him a weak smile.

He grinned back at me. "Now there's the tough girl I know."

"The others… think they'll be alright?" I asked.

Barret patted my shoulder. "SOLDIER boy'll keep 'em safe. Ain't no doubtin' that. So don't you be worryin'."

I chuckled. "Sounds like… you're warming up to him."

"Wha? Hell no!" he snorted. "Kid's jus' good at what he does, that's all. Goddamn pain in the ass, though."

"Sure…" I laughed, wincing even as I did.

We made it to the ladder a minute or two later, and I clung to it for a moment to catch my breath and gather my strength while Barret took a look above us. It wasn't a very long climb, but with only one hand, he had to use it to hold on. He glanced at me, his good hand on the ladder as he got ready to move.

"Grab on, Tif," he said. "I'll carry you up."

I did, moving close behind Barret and draping my arms down over his broad shoulders the way Marlene did when he'd give her piggyback rides. Of course, I couldn't sit on him the way she so often did, so I just clung to him instead as he began climbing the ladder, carrying me with him on his back one rung at a time.

It was slow going, but steady. I was hardly aware of it, though. As I held onto him, I found myself growing more lightheaded, trembling as the poison scoured my system. I struggled to keep my eyes open, and I bit down on my tongue to try and keep from passing out. But the pain was everywhere, burning under my skin, and my head sank down onto Barret's shoulder as my eyes slid shut.

* * *

I brought Buster in front of me like a shield just in time to block an elite grunt's leaping blow as he swiped at me with his clawed gauntlets. Shoving him back, I hit him with a series of quick slashes that sent him flying back hard into the rail. He didn't get up. Two more sprang at me to take his place, though. There were only a few left, but they moved so fast it was hard to take them down sometimes.

And then there were the terpsicolts. There must've been about four of them flying around us, whipping their clawed tails. I struck at one of them but only managed a glancing blow before it started spinning itself in a tight circle. Buster just bounced off when I tried to hit it again, the thing's motion seeming to create a barrier of energy around it. At least until Jessie struck it with another lightning bolt.

The thing screeched, jolted out of its spinning shield, and I slashed it apart before it could gather itself again while Wedge sprayed the two elite grunts that were slashing at me with fire from his flamethrower. It turned them into living torches, and Jessie and I took them down while they burned, my sword and her gun making short work of them. Still a couple left, though, along with the monsters.

Two of the terpsicolts dove toward Wedge, hammering him with a series of spinning blows before he could bring up his weapon. He took a few steps back, swinging his free arm to ward them off. I started to go to him, but the last two grunts fired their particle beams at me, forcing me to duck and roll to avoid being shot. I whirled around, springing to my feet and readying Buster.

"Back off, will ya?" Wedge yelled at the monsters.

I glanced over my shoulder at him. "Hang on! Jessie! Help Wedge! I'll handle these guys!"

She nodded. "On it, Cloud! Leave it to me!"

While I swept Buster at the grunts, blocking another volley of blue energy bolts before laying into them with a string of blinding slices and an overhead spinning chop, Jessie fired at the two terpsicolts harassing Wedge. The third one went for her, slicing her in the leg before she was able to get away. I heard her cry out in pain, but the grunts hadn't gone down yet, and I couldn't get to her.

"Special delivery!" Jessie turned, stuck her gun barrel right into the terpsicolt's mouth, and fired, blowing its head off.

Wedge shoved the other two away. "C'mon, Jessie! Help!"

While I ran one of the grunts through with a quick focused thrust, Jessie holstered her gun and took out a raspberry. Her eyes narrowing, she pulled out the pin while I fought off the last grunt, batting aside its swiping claws before sweeping Buster in a tight vertical arc and hurling a wave of pale green energy into it followed by a blast of lightning from my own materia. The drugged-up trooper flew hard to the ground and lay still, smoke rising from his chest.

"Move your ass, Wedge!" Jessie called. "Incoming!"

I turned around to see him dive to the floor and roll away from the terpsicolts just as Jessie threw the raspberry. It exploded a few seconds later, catching both monsters in the blast as we both threw up our arms to shield our eyes. Wedge stayed on the ground at first, but he was a bit too close to the edge of the explosion, and the fire took a bite out of his ass. He yelped, got to his feet, and raced across the platform, frantically patting his bottom until the dust settled.

"Wedge! You okay?" Jessie hurried over to him.

"Not sure," he groaned, sinking down onto his hands and knees. "I think I might've been burned to the bone…"

She pulled down the back of his pants. "That's… wow…"

"Well, Jessie? How bad is it?"

"Your ass is fine, Wedge!" she smirked. "A little singed, but the only casualty is your underwear."

Wedge blinked. "Seriously? That's all?"

Jessie slapped his ass. "You betcha!"

"Whew!" he flinched. "Talk about a gunshot…"

I couldn't help laughing a bit when I saw that. Did it before I could even stop myself. And sure enough, Jessie caught me in the act, a wide grin splitting her face. While Wedge pulled his pants back up, she went right up to me, her brown eyes dancing.

"That a laugh I heard, SOLDIER boy?" Jessie beamed.

"Uh…" I blinked, looking away for a moment and then back at her. "Dunno what you mean…"

Wedge pointed at me. "I saw it too, bro!"

"Saw what?" I asked.

"Awww, are you embarrassed, Cloud?" Jessie teased. "You're so cute when you get like that, you know?"

I motioned to the ladder behind us. "We should go."

She giggled. "Copy that! You laughed a lot up there last night, don't you remember? It was wonderful!"

"That's different," I said.

"Because it was just me?" Jessie asked.

I moved to the ladder. "Yeah. Nothing personal, Wedge."

"I get it, bro," he smiled. "It's all good. Oh, I almost forgot. Found a little something for ya on the way in. It was lying next to another crate we passed before we got here. Check it out!"

Wedge reached inside his pants pocket and took out a blue materia orb. It glowed brightly as he handed it to me, and after just a moment's concentration, I sensed it was Magnify. I put it into the mythril bangle Jessie had bought me, linking it to the Restore materia so I could use it on everyone at once if I had to.

I nodded to Wedge. "Thanks. Been looking for this."

"You're welcome, bro. Gonna try it out?"

"Yeah," I lifted my arm up. "Hold still, guys."

Using my new materia, I tended to our wounds, patching them up with a little cure magic. It didn't take long, and through Magnify, I was able to heal us all at once. Jessie's leg looked more hurt than it was. The terpsicolt's claw had sliced across her left thigh, but luckily not deep. So between my healing magic and the thick strip of cloth she tied around it to stop the bleeding, we got it taken care of.

* * *

"Hey? Tifa?" a familiar voice called.

Slowly, I opened my eyes to see Biggs kneeling down next to me. I was sitting on a small platform, my back to the railing. Probably not far from where Barret had climbed up. He was on my other side, worry on his face as he looked at me. And then I realized that the pain was gone, along with the feverish heat and dizziness. I looked down at my arm to see that the sting was slowly healing.

"Biggs?" I glanced back at him. "What happened?"

He let out a sigh of relief. "Barret got you here not long ago, just in time. Another five minutes and it would've been too late. But he did it, and I gave you an antidote while you were out."

I chuckled. "Guess I cut it pretty close, didn't I?"

Barret grimaced. "Too damn close. So don't you scare me like that again, you hear? Damn near gave me a heart attack."

"No promises," I smirked.

"How do you feel?" Biggs asked.

When I noticed his hand resting on my shoulder, I felt my stomach flutter. I smiled. "Better, thanks. A lot better. Still a little weak, though. So I think I'll just sit and rest up for a while until Cloud and others get here, if you guys don't mind."

Barret nodded. "You do that, Tifa. You earned it."

"Thanks," I said. "Oh, what about the entrance to Reactor 5? Were you able to find it, Biggs?"

"Right over there," he pointed behind him.

I looked to see an open grate at the end of a short walkway, bathed in a soft bluish light. And on the other side of it was our destination. It both relieved and bothered me at the same time. As hard as it had been to get here, the real challenge was still to come.

* * *

It was quiet when we made our way inside the storage room. Jessie and I shared a knowing look as we entered, both of us thinking of what had happened here between us last night, all of it. She gave me a small, gentle smile, then moved over to the back corner to retrieve the bomb. While she did that, Wedge and I went over to the shelves to see if there was anything that might be useful.

"Hey, bro," he held up a slender vial. "What's this?"

I took a closer look at it. "Ether. Renews your energy a little so you can use more magic."

He tossed it to me. "Cool! Guess it'll be handy, then."

"No doubt," I slipped it into my pocket.

We rummaged around a bit more but only found a couple potions. Wedge kept one while I took the other. Then we turned and watched as Jessie took the wall panel off with her little spanner. The bomb was just where she'd left it, nestled amongst the cables and wires, and she gently took it out along with the detonator.

"Okay," she glanced over at Wedge, tilting her head meaningfully at the tunnel on the far side of the room. "Looks like we're about ready to go. Just gotta take care of a few things first."

Wedge blinked. "Like what?"

Jessie raised an eyebrow. "Private things, Wedge. You know?"

"Huh?" he stared blankly at her. "I don't get it…"

I took him by the shoulder and turned him to face the tunnel exit. "Move. Find the others."

Wedge stumbled toward it. "Okay, but… oh, _now_ I—"

"Good," I gave him a little push. "Go."

He waved. "See ya soon, guys! Don't be—"

"Wedge!" Jessie hissed.

With a sheepish grin, he slipped into the tunnel and disappeared to catch up to Barret, Tifa, and Biggs. Jessie and I would follow him soon, but we needed a moment alone first. I'd known that as soon as we came here, and so had Jessie. But not Wedge. He didn't understand what this place meant to us, what it was.

"Finally," Jessie giggled. "Thought he'd never leave."

I smirked. "I wasn't gonna let him stay."

Her lips closed over mine as she set the bomb on a nearby shelf for a moment. "Good. Neither was I."

We stood there for a moment, exchanging soft, tender kisses as she slid into my arms. Then she just sighed and laid her head down on my shoulder as I held her. Jessie didn't say anything at first, so I just waited for her, knowing she had something on her mind.

"Cloud…" she said. "About what happened on the train…"

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Jessie lifted her face to look at me. "It was all my fault. That special ID I made you? That's what set off all the alarms back there and nearly got us caught. I still can't believe it…"

"Jessie…" I murmured.

She sighed and looked away. "I just wanted to make you something nice, but… I really blew it. I'm so sorry."

I didn't blame her, though. Not one bit. Knowing what I did about her past, I understood why she was so hard on herself. Didn't think she should've been, but because she cared so much, it was hard for her not to be. I could tell she was disappointed. She couldn't have known what was gonna happen, though.

"Hey," I gently turned her face back to me. "Not your fault."

She stared at me. "What? But I—"

"Not. Your. Fault," I repeated. "Understand?"

"Thanks, Cloud…" Jessie hugged me tight and smiled. "How'd I get lucky enough to find you?"

I kissed her. "Been asking myself the same thing."

She used her lips to answer, pressing them firmly against mine. My heart raced at the feel of her mouth, its moist sweetness, and my blood was like magma. I wished this moment didn't have to end, but we had a mission to finish, and we both knew it. Reluctantly, I pulled away, but I didn't let go of her just yet.

"Soon as you get back home, be sure to get the Hardy ready," I said. "Thought we'd go for a ride."

"Oh, you bet!" Jessie grinned. "I'd love that!"

I nodded. "Tonight, then."

"And dinner?" she added, gazing warmly at me.

"Yeah," I agreed.

Jessie kissed me again. "And more…"

"Definitely," I whispered.

She laughed, hugging me again. "Then it's a date! Guess we should go now, but at least we've got something to look forward to. And… I'm gonna make you another ID, too."

I shook my head. "You don't need to do that."

"I want to," Jessie insisted. "It'll be better, I promise. Not flashy, but it'll get the job done. I'll head down to the basement to work on it once the Hardy's all gassed up. Gonna give her a good polish, too. I want her to look good for tonight, you know?"

I did. "Yeah. Me too."

Letting go of me, Jessie retrieved the bomb and detonator from the shelf, and then we ducked into the tunnel and followed it until it came to a dead end a short distance away. A hole with a metal ladder was set into the floor there, and we quickly took it down to a walkway and the next section of the underplate.

We followed it as it turned to the right, and before long, we caught sight of the others not far ahead of us. Tifa waved and smiled, and I let out a sigh of relief and lifted my hand in return. Although I'd been sure Barret would get her to Biggs in time, it was still good to see for myself that she was alright. She stood easily with the others by the entrance to Reactor 5 and looked as if she'd never been stung.

"Hi!" she called. "There you are!"

"Took your sweet time gettin' here," Barret grumbled.

I ignored him. "You look better, Tif."

She laughed. "Just about good as new, thanks to you guys. Ready to kick some ass in the reactor."

"I keep my promises," I told her.

"You sure do, Cloud," Tifa winked. "Thanks."

Jessie hugged her. "Glad you're okay. I was worried about ya."

"I'm fine, Jessie," Tifa assured her.

"Oh, before I forget," Biggs handed me, Tifa, and Barret each a pair of slim vials filled with a pale green liquid swirling inside. "Better take these with you. The rest of the antidotes."

Barret slipped them in his pocket. "Thanks, Biggs. You guys all did good. We'll take it from here."

Wedge shot him a thumbs up. "Good luck!"

"We're gonna fall back to base as soon as you're in," Biggs said. "So we'll meet you there when it's all over. Take this sucker out, guys! We're right behind you all the way!"

"Got it," I nodded.

Tifa tightened her fighting gloves. "Make sure everyone gets home safe, Biggs. Okay?"

He grinned. "Will do!"

"I'll patch in as soon as I can," Jessie said.

"Won't you be noticed on the train?" Tifa wondered.

She smirked. "Nope! We'll just pick up our disguises and put them right back on. An office girl working on her tablet isn't gonna draw any attention. At least, it shouldn't."

Barret nodded. "Good enough. Jus' be careful, Jessie."

"I will," she promised, handing him the bomb. "We should be back on the train by the time you get to the reactor core."

"Awright, then. Later!" he waved.

He stepped into the small tunnel leading into Reactor 5 and moved deeper inside. I knew he wouldn't go far, though. He'd wait for Tifa and I to catch up before entering the facility itself. According to the layouts, there was a large cargo platform at the end of the tunnel, and we could ride it right into the reactor.

Tifa glanced at the others. "Good luck, guys."

"You too," Biggs answered.

Her eyes lingered on him for a moment, and then she slipped into the tunnel after Barret. That left me alone with the others. I wasn't sure what to say at first. Goodbyes weren't really my thing, and it wasn't as if this was the last time I'd ever see them. But I still felt uneasy. They were all looking at me expectantly.

I started with Biggs. "Watch your back."

"Same to you, Cloud," he saluted.

"Wedge," I turned to him. "Really sorry about your ass."

He grinned. "It's all good, bro!"

That left only Jessie. She was beet red and practically out of breath from laughing so hard. Biggs just looked at her, puzzled but amused at the same time. He hadn't been there to see what happened, but I knew Jessie would fill him in later. I looked at her, not really sure what to say while the guys were still here.

Biggs got the hint, though. "C'mon, Wedge. Time to go."

"Huh?" he asked.

"Gotta give 'em some privacy," he explained, taking his arm. "Know what I mean? So let's head out."

Wedge chuckled. "Oh, right. Bye, guys!"

"Bye, Wedge!" Jessie said. "I'll catch up in a minute."

Then they were gone, and it was just the two of us. I almost wished she was going with me. But she'd be safer with the guys, and I wouldn't have to worry so much about her. Jessie hugged me, and for a moment neither of us said anything. As we stood there together, I realized I was almost afraid to leave her. It didn't make sense.

I saw my unease mirrored in her eyes. "Jessie, I…"

"I know," she whispered. "I feel it, too. Something's not right about this mission. I hope I'm wrong, but…"

"Keep your eyes open," I told her. "Stay low."

She nodded. "You too, merc."

I held her close. "Always."

"Good," she kissed me. "And don't forget, we have a date tonight. A motorcycle ride, dinner, and more."

"I won't," I told her.

Jessie winked. "I know, Cloud. Hurry back, okay?"

"Count on it," I pressed my lips to hers.

She returned the favor, drawing me closer as she deepened the kiss and tightened our embrace. Our mouths meshed together, locking and unlocking in a single moment that seemed to stretch on forever. When her tongue found mine, it sent current sizzling under my skin and into my brain with every sweet touch.

Eventually, though, we had to pull away. I couldn't keep the others waiting much longer. Jessie knew it as well as I did. She rested her head on my shoulder for just a minute, then lifted it up and gave me a small, encouraging smile as she let go of me.

"Well," Jessie sighed softly. "I guess this is it…"

I swallowed. "Yeah. See you soon."

"Oh, here," she reached into her pocket. "Something I'd like you to have. Call it a good luck charm."

Jessie pulled something out, but I didn't see what it was at first. She took my hand and put her own on top of it, folding my fingers over her little gift before letting go. When she was finished, I slowly opened my hand to see what she'd given me.

Lying on my palm was a flattened glass cylinder half an inch thick and about three inches in diameter. Pressed inside it was a small yellow chocobo feather, perfectly preserved. I held it up, gazing at it in wonder and not quite sure what to make of it. I appreciated the gift, but I didn't know what it was for or what it meant.

"Baby chocobo feather," Jessie explained. "A friend gave it to me for helping him out a few years ago, just before I first came to Sector 7. It's supposed to keep you safe."

"How?" I asked.

She went on. "Like I said, Cloud, it's a good luck charm. The saying goes that as long as you carry a chocobo feather with you, you'll always find your way home. Baby feathers are supposed to be especially lucky. So now I _know_ you'll make it back."

"You really think it works?" I wondered.

"It has for me," Jessie answered. "I've had it for two years now, kept it on me all the time. And I'm still in one piece."

I put it carefully in my pocket. "Guess it does, then."

Jessie grinned. "Yeah! It'll bring you back to me safe and sound no matter what. Besides, how could you possibly resist staying away when you've got this little beauty to come home to?"

"Can't," I agreed. "Thanks, Jessie."

She pulled me in for a last, lingering kiss. "You're welcome, Cloud. I'll contact you guys soon, okay?"

I nodded. "Right. We'll be ready."

"I love you," Jessie murmured. "Whenever you look at your feather, just remember that and think of me."

"I will," I promised.

She held up her arm. "Fist bump on it?"

I blinked. "Huh?"

"Hold up your arm, Cloud," Jessie told me. "And make a fist. Then you just touch it to mine."

Although I wasn't quite sure what she was getting at, I did what she asked, curling my fingers into a fist while Jessie did the same with hers. Then, gazing at each other, we thrust them together. They bumped just a second later, a tingle racing up my spine at the contact. Jessie smiled, pressing her fist against mine for a moment.

"Reactor's waiting for ya," she whispered. "Go blow her mind."

I smirked. "Consider it blown."

Giggling, Jessie hurried away, stopping just long enough to wave at me and blow me a kiss before disappearing around the corner the way we'd come. I watched her leave, and even after she was gone, I couldn't turn away at first. I almost didn't want to, as if she'd come back if I only waited there long enough.

But I knew that wasn't going to happen. We both had things to do, important things, and so with a sigh, I finally tore my eyes from where Jessie had left. But as I turned around and moved up to the open grate leading to the cargo lift, I looked again at the baby chocobo feather she had given me. And as I did, I thought of her, missing her even though I knew we wouldn't be apart very long.

If all went well, we'd be back in the slums in an hour, maybe two. A simple job, in and out. But I still felt a foreboding about this mission, a knot in my gut that wouldn't leave. Maybe it was because of the dreams and visions I'd been having lately. Still, there wasn't really much I could do except see it through to the end.

Thinking of Jessie, my eyes still on the chocobo feather, I promised myself that no matter what happened, no matter where I was or what I was doing, I'd always find a way back to her. To come home to her. She was the reason I fought now, money or no money. Seeing her gift made me realize that. As my fingers closed firmly over it, I tightened them in resolve, determined to be there for her.

Putting the feather away, I entered the tunnel to Reactor 5.


	29. TWENTY-EIGHT

## TWENTY-EIGHT

I caught up to Tifa and Barret just a short way into the tunnel. The cargo elevator was right in front of us, with a small control panel off to the right. Without a word, we moved onto the lift, and then I turned to the panel and pressed the button to send us down. We got moving with a slight jolt and began to descend.

Tifa adjusted her gloves. "So what's the reactor like?"

"Hellhole," Barret answered. "Where they bleed the planet dry. She needs us now, Tifa. Needs us to torch this goddamn slaughterhouse an' shut it down. Oh, an' mind the smell."

"Smell?" she asked.

I nodded. "It's the mako. Stronger here than in Reactor 1. Probably why we need the antidotes."

Barret grunted. "Be ready for it."

We got to the bottom a minute later. Hurrying off the lift, we made our way through the double doors ahead of us and into Reactor 5 itself. The layout of the place was, as I'd told the others, pretty much the same as Reactor 1. Only here, a faint bluish glow hung in the air. We walked out onto a small ledge above the utility access area. Just like before, the stairs ran down through three floors until they reached the bottom and the doorway leading to mako storage.

"Oh, man!" Tifa coughed, curling her nose. "This is terrible! And I thought it was bad down in the slums!"

"Told ya," Barret chuckled.

I gazed across the huge chamber. "How do we get down?"

There was another staircase at one end of the ledge, but I discarded that idea right way. The stairs didn't go very far and only lead to a dead end with some pipes and machinery set into the wall. Trying the best I could to ignore the acrid mako fumes that made my eyes water and ate at the inside of my throat, I looked around for something we could use to get to the bottom of this place.

"Aha!" Tifa exclaimed. "How about this, guys?"

She was crouching down on the left side of the ledge, pointing at a thick metal pipe about three feet across that stretched all the way down to the floor at a roughly forty-five degree angle. It was probably used to channel the mako up from storage so it could be converted into energy. In any case, it would do well enough.

Barret shrugged. "S'pose it could work."

"I'll go first," Tifa volunteered.

Sitting carefully down on the pipe, she took a breath and slid down it, holding her arms out to either side to keep her balance. Barret went next, going slower but doing better than I thought he would. Once he'd started sliding down, I followed behind him. It didn't take long, barely even a minute at the speed we were going, and then we all stood safely on the floor at the bottom of utility access.

Tifa laughed. "That was fun. A little scary, but fun."

"Jessie would've loved it," I agreed.

"No doubt," Barret said. "An' speakin' of Jessie, you two _did_ go over her intel report yesterday, right?"

I knew we had. "Yeah. Security's gonna be tougher here. Smoggers and bloodhounds. Machine gun sentries in utility access and the lower levels, too. Nothing we can't handle, though."

"Right," Tifa flexed her fingers.

On a hunch, I swapped my Restore and Lightning materia, linking the Magnify to Lightning instead. Then we got going, walking through the bottom floor of utility access. As we did, Tifa coughed again on the mako fumes, but she didn't falter. It was oddly quiet, and I didn't like it at all. The others noticed it, too.

Barret grimaced. "I hate this shit. Ain't no one home?"

"Do you really want there to be?" Tifa glanced at him. "Although… it does seem a little empty."

"Not anymore," I whipped out Buster.

Ahead of us, two black and green security mechs—each sporting a pair of curved, pipelike horns—ambled out from around the corner to our right along with a bloodhound, its dark red fur bristling as it loped toward us. Barret greeted it with a burst of sustained gunfire while Tifa and I took on the smoggers, Buster and her fists tearing into them in a blinding flurry of motion.

The mechs shuddered under the impact of our blows but didn't fall yet. They belched out noxious mako fumes that left us coughing, and it was all I could do to brace myself as the nearest smogger charged right at me before I could get away. I used Buster to block the attack, my feet sliding backward a little as it hit, and I pushed back at once and shoved the metal bastard away just as Tifa darted in and smashed it across the side of the head with a backhand punch.

In the meantime, Barret was busy tangling with the bloodhound as it snarled and clawed at him, wounded but still alive. Tifa and I traded blows with the smoggers, fighting our way through the swirling fumes as best we could. Then, as the bloodhound closed the distance between it and Barret, he used his Fire materia to scorch it with a blast of flame, throwing it hard to the floor and setting it ablaze.

"Damn!" he grinned. "I'm likin' that!"

I swept off one of the smogger's arms. "Wasn't hard, was it?"

Barret grunted as he finished off the bloodhound. "Nah, not once I actually done it. Ain't half bad, merc."

"Then you'll love this," I said, lifting my arm.

Focusing on my Lightning materia, I hit both smoggers with a bolt of lightning that shot through them at the same time in a sizzling azure fork of electricity. The first one exploded, pieces of it flying everywhere as Tifa and I ducked out of the way. The second smogger staggered and fell, its body smoking and its arms twitching feebly. Down, but not out yet. That was about to change, though.

"Tifa!" I called.

She nodded, fists ready. "Right! Let's finish it!"

We ran at the smogger together, side by side, and hit it at the same time. Tifa laid into it with a quick string of jabs followed by a left hook while I sliced Buster from the other side, hitting it again and again with slash after slash until I swept it into the air. Then Tifa jumped, grabbed it, and slammed it back to the floor.

"Well, now we all warmed up!" Barret pumped his fist.

Tifa smirked. "Got that right!"

Coughing again, I drank one of the antidotes Biggs had given us. It cleared up the burning in my throat and nose right away. I motioned to the others, and they did the same. Then we went on, going around the corner the security patrol had come from and walking next to the long stairway leading to the upper levels of utility access. We found the door to mako storage a moment later.

Unlike in Reactor 1, the passageway inside wasn't a simple hall, but a maintenance hangar. We stopped for a minute to look at a huge mech about twenty feet tall. Luckily, it was deactivated, and I hoped it would stay that way. It was roughly humanoid, with thick, massive arms and a small, squarish head. Its teal blue body armor looked tough enough to withstand multiple blows, and it had shoulder-mounted cannons along with another gun on its back.

"Good thing this big boy's shut down," Barret said. "We'd have one helluva time trashin' it if it was awake."

Tifa shivered. "What do you think it's for?"

"Taking out large monsters," I explained. "Jessie told me yesterday, before we left for the plate."

Barret frowned. "Never mentioned it to me."

"Said it was an experimental prototype. Old design, but never used until now. I don't think it's even been tested yet."

There was more, but I kept it to myself. Jessie and I had spent some time going over the intel she'd gathered about Reactor 5 before heading off to hide the bomb. We'd been sitting together at her computer in the basement while she scanned through what she'd found. She'd gasped in surprise when the specs for this mech had come up on her screen, and for a minute she had just sat there, oddly quiet.

I hadn't understood why at the time, but now I thought I did. She'd been a weapons designer at Shinra—I thought of her tearful confession in the storage room last night—and this thing was probably another of her creations. At least initially. But Scarlet had almost certainly made it her own after Jessie had left.

"Might mean it's got a few weak spots," Barret mused. "Though it'd probably be best if we jus' run our asses off."

"Let's just hope it doesn't wake up," Tifa replied.

When we entered mako storage, we were greeted by a set of sentry guns mounted near the doors. Bullets chewed into the floor and walls, but we scattered and managed to avoid getting hit. While Tifa and I hit two of the guns with our magic—lightning and ice making quick work of them—Barret took out the rest with his gun-arm, his assault cannon easily blowing them apart in just a few shots.

Tifa glanced at us. "This how it was last time?"

"Bit rowdier, actually," Barret answered. "That right, merc?"

"Pretty much," I agreed.

She walked over to the railing. "Core's down there. Nearly finished, guys. Just a little longer…"

We made it the rest of the way down without running into another security patrol, only a few more machine gun sentries that we took out without much trouble. As we stepped off the ladder and hurried across the platform to the reactor core, I couldn't help thinking about the first mission and how much more of a fight it had taken for us to get to this point. Something wasn't right here.

Tifa moved up ahead of me, and I was just about to catch up to her at the core when suddenly a bolt of pain shot through my head just like when I had first seen Jessie in her disguise. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment and fell to my knees. What was going on? I felt almost dizzy, and when I looked up, everything was different.

I was in another reactor, one that was hauntingly familiar. I knew it all too well. The reactor on Mt. Nibel. It was one of the first that Shinra had ever built. There were thick chains amidst the pipes, and the mako swirled far below. A short distance ahead of me was an open doorway, the yellowish-orange glow from the next room bathing the stone walls in hues of fire. I was on a thick pipe that served as a bridge, with metal railings running along both sides.

Kneeling in front of the doorway was Tifa.

Not as she was now, but as a teenager. Fifteen years old. She wore a pair of brown chocobo wrangler's boots, a leather vest with a sleeveless white shirt underneath it, matching skirt, and a brown, wide-brimmed wrangler's hat. Tears slid down her cheeks as she held her father's body, and lying on the platform next to her was a slender, curved blade made of polished, flawless steel. That old, familiar rage surged through me as soon as I saw it. I knew exactly whose it was.

It was Sephiroth's.

"Dad…" Tifa cried. "It was Sephiroth, wasn't it? He did this to you! I hate it, all of it! Sephiroth, SOLDIERs, mako, Shinra… I can't stand it anymore! I'm just so sick of it!"

Then she grabbed Sephiroth's katana, wiped the tears from her face with her other hand, and charged through the doorway, quivering with rage. And then, everything went dark for a moment as the vision—no, the memory—vanished as quickly and mysteriously as it had appeared, and the pain along with it. As I shook it off and slowly got to my feet, I realized I was back in Reactor 5 again.

"Get it together, SOLDIER boy!" Barret said.

Tifa gazed at me. "You okay, Cloud?"

"Tifa…" I began, not sure what to say. Then I remembered why we were here. "Nevermind. Let's move."

Moving up to the reactor core, I took out the bomb and planted it. When I was finished, Barret and I both looked up at once, our eyes on the shadows above us as we remembered the guard scorpion's surprise attack in Reactor 1. But there was nothing, nothing at all, and as he and I exchanged an uneasy glance, I didn't know if I should feel relieved or disturbed. Maybe both. I didn't like it.

"No big badass this time?" Barret muttered.

"Disappointed?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Hell no! Jus' bothers the hell outta me. It don't make no goddamn sense."

"What do you mean?" Tifa wondered.

I led us back the way we'd come. "When we planted the bomb back in Reactor 1, this scorpion mech showed up."

Barret nodded. "We trashed its metal ass, though."

"I see…" Tifa said.

"Anyway," I held up the detonator. "We'd better keep moving. We'll get to a safe distance, then set off the bomb."

Barret laughed. "Kaboom!"

We hurried across the platform, all of us wanting to get out of this place as soon as possible. But just as we reached the far end, the ladder leading back to the upper levels of mako storage suddenly retracted, as if someone had pulled it up. There was no one there, though, and as we skidded to a halt, I realized it was being done automatically. Remotely, by my guess. Which could only mean one thing.

This was a trap.

"Shit!" Barret swore. "Where the hell you goin'!?"

"What's going on?" Tifa's eyes were wide.

I grimaced. "We're being watched. Timing's just too perfect. I knew something was up. Damn!"

Just then, a pair of slug-rays flew in and hovered in front of us, side by side roughly six feet apart. Turning toward each other, they began to glow, and a second later, a holographic image appeared in between the two mechs. It was a man in a high-collared military uniform, gazing at us like insects as he stroked his long beard. The hologram was blue and semitransparent, but still unmistakable.

"Welcome, my dear sewer rats," he cackled. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am General Heidegger, head of Peace Preservation. And your executioner. You should be flattered."

"Like hell!" Barret fumed.

Heidegger smiled coldly and pointed at us. "Everyone in Midgar is watching, waiting in breathless anticipation for Shinra to eliminate the scourge that is Avalanche. And we will. Your deaths, live on the air, will give people the comfort they desire."

I suddenly realized what he meant. "That huge mech."

"They're gonna use it on us?" Tifa breathed.

"Precisely!" Heidegger sneered. "So, by all means, try to escape. It'll only make the show even better!"

Then the hologram disappeared and a set of double doors ahead of us slid open. But before the slug-rays could move or fall, they suddenly glowed again and projected another hologram. Not Heidegger, though. It was Jessie, wearing her disguise again and probably back on the train with the guys. And she was pissed.

"That _bastard!"_ she spat, pacing back and forth. "Goddamn son of a bitch! Cold-hearted rat _bastard!"_

"Jessie?" Tifa blinked.

Jessie took a breath. "I _knew_ he'd pull some shit like this! Oh, I just wanna—sorry, guys, didn't mean to blow up like that. He just… he just _really_ pisses me off."

"No shit," Barret said. "What's your beef?"

She shook her head. "Don't have time for that now. I'm not entirely sure how long I'll be able to talk to you like this. I'm in one of the cargo cars in the back, so no one should see or hear me."

I nodded. "On the train. Got it."

"I've been using the reactor's own security systems to monitor your progress and feed Shinra with fake footage, but somehow they must've seen through it. When I saw the holographic signal, I decided to try to hack in and reach you guys the same way."

"Good thinkin', Jessie," Barret said. "What now?"

She tapped on her tablet. "Looks like there's several control rooms on the other side of those doors that just opened, connected by sloping hallways that lead back up to the first level."

"Another way out," I realized.

"Yeah, but there's more," Jessie went on. "That mech they're gonna use against you, it's not as ready as they've made it out to be. I think we can find a way to sabotage it. I… I know its weak spots, you see. And I can talk you through it, tell you what to do."

Barret pumped his fist. "Damn straight! They wanna turn this into a show, we'll give 'em one they ain't never gonna forget! We'll trash that big-ass mech right in front of everyone!"

"I'm sold," I agreed.

"Bring it on!" Tifa narrowed her eyes.

Jessie grinned. "I am _so_ gonna enjoy this! Let's go!"

With that, her hologram disappeared. The slug-rays crashed to the floor and shorted out as we raced past them and through the doors. As Jessie had said, we found ourselves in a passageway that sloped upward as it turned around like a corkscrew. At the end of it, we found another door, and inside was the first control room. Along with several security guards, all intent on getting the mech ready.

"Get those components prepped!" one of them ordered.

Another saw us as we charged in. "What the hell!? Intruders! Take 'em out! Now! And sound the alarm!"

Barret shot the control panel. "Ain't happenin'!"

They went for their guns, but we were faster. I swept three of them off their feet with a pair of quick slashes while Tifa and Barret handled the rest, fists and bullets making short work of them. When it was over, one of the monitors blinked out, going dark for a moment. And then it winked back on a second later, showing Jessie from the shoulders up as she stood amidst the crates in the cargo car.

"There, got it," she said. "I'm linked in. Thought it'd take you guys a little longer to secure the room. Forgot how good you all are at kicking ass, though. Nicely done!"

"Not so bad yourself," I smirked.

Jessie beamed. "Awww, thanks, Cloud! You're the best! But anyway, one of the guards should have a keycard on him. Use it on that console over there. That'll let you mess with the mech's loadout a bit. Diverting a component for disposal should weaken it."

I nodded. "Right. Only one per card, though, I take it."

"Yeah, unfortunately," she said. "So you'll need to find more in the other control rooms. Let's see… the door to the next hall's locked, but I think I can get it open. So just go ahead and work on the console while I see about the way forward."

"You heard her," Barret looked at us. "Let's get to it."

We spread out, searching the bodies of the downed soldiers for the keycard. It wasn't long before Tifa held it up and brought it over to me. After I took it, I led her and Barret over to the computer console Jessie had told us about. The mech's schematics were on the screen as well as instructions for loading its components.

"Here goes…" I said, inserting the card into the slot.

Barret frowned. "M unit? The hell's that?"

We turned around to look at Jessie as she answered. "Enhancement made using liquified materia. Makes the mech a bit sturdier. Diverting it should let you punch through the armor more easily. Send it over for disposal and we're good to go, Cloud."

"Right," I said, tapping in the command.

"Great!" Jessie said. "Now, if I can just… got it! Door's open!"

I glanced at the others. "Time to go."

"See you in the next room, guys!" she waved.

When the monitor went off, the door on the other side of the room slid open, revealing another corridor going up. We hurried through, up the slanting floor, and followed the hall as it wound around to the next control room. Not slowing down for a second, we rushed at the guards before they even knew what was happening, taking them all down in a flurry of cuts, blows, and gunshots.

Jessie appeared on another monitor as we were searching for more keycards. "Good job! Those guys never had a chance! Same deal as last time. You sabotage, I open the door."

"Found one!" Barret showed us a keycard.

"Good," she said. "Any more?"

I grimaced as we finished our search. "No. Just the one. And we've got two consoles here."

"So we gotta pick our poison," Barret added.

Tifa folded her arms in front of her. "What are our options?"

Jessie frowned in concentration. "Checking their system, hang on a sec… Alright, here goes. Waiting behind Door #1, we have big bomber shells. Heavy artillery. They can send you to hell and back with a single shot. Not a pretty picture."

"And what about Door #2?" I asked.

"AI programming core," Jessie explained. "They're used to enhance processing power and motor function. Basically, they let big boy move around faster. Doesn't sound too good."

Tifa glanced at the two consoles. "Which do we choose?"

"Up to you, merc," Barret said.

I thought about it for a moment, weighing the options. Both made the mech dangerous, but I decided that if it couldn't fire as many shells, we'd have a much better chance of withstanding its attacks and taking it down. So I went over to the console on the right, inserted the keycard, and diverted the shell for disposal.

Jessie flashed me a thumbs up. "Good call, Cloud!"

"How many more control rooms?" I asked.

"Two," she replied, adjusting her glasses. "I've already unlocked the door, so I'll catch ya in the next one. Later, guys!"

The screen went dark as the next door slid open. We hurried on up the passageway to a third control room, quickly dispatching the guards when we got there. Jessie showed up on another monitor just as I took a keycard from one of the bodies.

"That all?" I glanced at the others.

Tifa sighed. "Yeah. Ony one card. And three consoles now."

Barret turned to the monitor. "What've we got to choose from now, Jessie? Same as before?"

"Pretty much," she nodded. "M unit, a BB shell, or an AI core. Take your pick, guys. You know the drill. I'll unlock the next door while you do some more tampering."

It didn't take me very long to make a decision this time as I went to one of the consoles. By taking away a second BB shell, that would leave the mech only able to fire two at the most, and I figured we'd be able to handle that well enough. I put in the card and diverted the shell over to disposal by tapping a few keys.

"Another one down," Tifa said.

Barret grinned. "We gonna make fools outta them Shinra while the whole city's watchin'! I can't wait!"

I moved toward the door. "Don't get cocky."

"What, you mean like you, merc?" he countered. "I'm jus' ready to kick this thing's ass, that's all. Steal Mr. Warmonger's show an' rub it in that ugly face of his."

Jessie's voice was laced with steel. "You and me both, Barret."

Tifa glanced at the screen. "Jessie?"

"Nothing," she shook it off, smiling again. "I'm fine. The way's clear now. Only one room left. I'll meet you there."

The monitor went off a moment later as she opened the next door. We went on through, making our way further upward to the last of the control rooms. As we did, I found myself thinking about how strongly Jessie seemed to feel about Heidegger. She hated him, that was obvious, but it was almost as if she knew him, like this was personal for her. But why? I wondered but couldn't find any answers.

There were half a dozen guards and engineers in the control room, all of them armed, but we took them down without much trouble, our weapons and magic clearing them out before they could do very much damage. After I had used my Restore materia to tend to the few minor injuries we'd sustained, we spread out to look for more keycards. Jessie showed up on screen just a few moments later.

"How's it coming, guys?" she asked.

"Found two keys, Jessie!" Tifa held them up.

Jessie laughed. "Awesome! Double trouble for sure! Now let me see what we can do in here…"

"Four consoles this time," I pointed out.

"Right," Jessie nodded. "Okay, guys. Two of them are for BB shells, and two are for AI cores. And we've got two keycards to work with. So we've gotta choose again. Let's make the best of it."

Barret chuckled. "Oh, we will."

After talking it over with the others, I diverted one of the AI cores and one more BB shell. That would leave it with just one shell and also slow it down a bit. We could work with that, and we all agreed it would give us our best chance of destroying that mech. After I was finished, I handed Tifa the detonator.

"Hold onto this," I told her. "Soon as we blow the mech, you hit the switch, Tifa. Got it?"

"You bet," she agreed.

Barret hefted his gun-arm. "We gonna rock this place!"

"You're damn right!" Jessie added. "We've done as much as we can to the mech. Now it's time to head to the first level, spring the trap, and show that thing who's boss!"

"Took the words right outta my mouth," he laughed.

I looked at her on the screen. "Jessie, is there anything else you can tell us about it? Any other weaknesses?"

"Yeah. It's AI is very systematic and predictable. A basic search and destroy algorithm. It'll attack whoever or whatever damages it. Most of its guns can only home in on a single target, too—the BB's the only one capable of hitting multiple opponents."

"And we only have one to worry about," Tifa said.

Jessie went on. "Right. If you hit the mech hard enough, you might be able to reduce its mobility, make it harder for it to track you. It may even get stuck and unable to turn around."

Made sense. "Definitely an advantage for us if we can pull it off. If I can keep its attention on me, you two can pound it from behind until it shorts out and quits turning."

"Then we trash it," Barret finished.

"Sounds like a plan," Tifa pumped her fist. "Let's do it!"

Jessie grinned. "You said it, Tifa! Last door's open, so you guys had better go. Don't forget, there's still the doors on the top level. So head to the control room up there and I'll tell you how to get them open. Can't do it myself because it's an emergency lockdown."

"On our way," I told her.

"See you soon, guys," she said. "Be careful."

I nodded. "You too, Jessie."

With a smile, she winked at me, then the screen blinked out. After sharing a determined glance with Tifa and Barret, I led them out of the control room and into the next passageway. The floor sloped up, closer to the top now, and soon were going to spring Shinra's trap and turn it against them. I had to admit, I was looking forward to it. And I didn't have to look at the others to know they felt the same way. This was one fight Shinra wasn't going to forget.


	30. TWENTY-NINE

## TWENTY-NINE

At the end of the curving hallway, we found an elevator waiting for us at the top of the sloping floor. It was probably the same one that we'd have ridden up from utility access if we hadn't been forced to take this little detour. As I followed Cloud and Barret inside, I flexed my fingers and took a deep breath. Just a few more doors and it would be time for us to thrash Shinra's mech in front of everyone.

"Almost game time," Barret grinned as we rode the elevator.

I tightened my gloves. "Yeah. Nearly there."

Cloud didn't say anything, just stood there with his arms folded in front of him. Typical, but also reassuring in a way. He nodded, and the barest hint of a smirk crossed his face as he looked at me. I smiled back for a moment, knowing he was always ready to help me out and stick it to Shinra. No matter what problems he might have, Cloud was still my friend, and I was his. I'd be there for him, too.

I hadn't seen anything yet to help me figure out what was going on with him. From our talks together since I'd first found him at the train station just over two months ago, I had found out there were things he knew that he shouldn't, at least according to my own memories. There were also things he should've known but didn't. That, along with those strange attacks he'd been having, worried me.

I hadn't said anything to Cloud yet, though. I wasn't sure what that might do to him. So all I could do, at least for now, was keep an eye on him. But as I thought about it while the elevator took us up to the first floor, I wondered if he had shared anything with Jessie. They'd gotten a lot closer, after all. I decided to ask her about it later.

After a soft beep, the elevator doors opened, and we went out onto the first floor. On the opposite side of the room, the door stood closed and locked. A short connecting passage just ahead of us and to our left led to the main control room, and we hurried into it. There were lots of displays and computers, but what caught my eye was a large console on the right side of the room. It was long, like a table, and had controls on either side of it. I didn't have a clue where to start.

Luckily, Jessie appeared on the large screen behind me. "Good, you made it! Been watching ya, and I'm sure Shinra has, too. I don't know if they're aware of what we're doing, though."

"Too late for us to bail now," Cloud pointed out.

"Do you think they know you're helping us, Jessie?" I asked.

She swallowed. "I… I don't know, Tifa. I haven't had any trouble on this end. Biggs and Wedge are watching the door so no one gets in here and finds me. We're almost home, though."

I nodded. "Stay safe, okay?"

"I will," Jessie nodded. "Anyway, moving on. About the emergency override, you remember me telling you it's kinda tricky? Here's why. It's a triple-activation sequence. Once I access the main control board, you should see three different panels light up."

She looked down for a minute as she input a few commands on her tablet, and a few seconds later, the long console in front of us hummed to life. Just like she'd said, three flat, rectangular panels suddenly lit up, white and bright. Cloud and Barret moved to stand in front of the two on the left side while I took the one on the right.

Barret looked past me to the monitor. "Okay, we all set, Jessie. Tell us what's next. We hit 'em?"

"Yeah," she answered. "All at the same time. _Exactly_ the same time. If you're off by even a second, it won't work. You can keep trying if you don't get it right away, though."

"Good to know," Cloud said. "Ready?"

I held my hand over the panel. "Ready, Cloud."

Barret did the same. "How's about a little countdown, Jessie?"

"Sure!" she winked. "Here goes… three, two, one!"

Cloud and I hit the panel at the same time, but Barret was a second too late. There was a loud buzz as the panel flashed for a moment, and I sighed. Looked like this wasn't going to be as easy as I'd thought. We'd get it right soon enough, though.

Barret shrugged. "Sorry, y'all. Still, uh… gettin' warmed up."

"Just shake it off and try again," I said.

"Maybe we oughta do a little chant or somethin'," he suggested. "To help us focus. Let's see now… Seventh seventh heaven heaven hoo-ah! Seventh seventh heaven heaven hoo-ah!"

Cloud shot him an icy glare. "Hell no. Veto."

I agreed. "Let's just get to it. Jessie?"

"Right," she giggled. "Ready, guys? Three… two… one!"

This time, we got it. There was a chime, and from the other room, the sound of a door sliding open. Although I was as eager to embarrass Shinra and turn the tables on them as the others, I couldn't help feeling a little nervous just the same.

Barret pumped his fist. "Avalanche!"

"Awesome!" Jessie added. "You're good to go from here, guys. Kick some mechanized ass out there, alright?"

"You bet," I told her.

Jessie went on. "I'll be signing off now. Train's just about there, and I won't be able to monitor you once you go outside onto the bridge. So watch yourselves and come home safe."

Barret hefted his gun-arm. "We will, Jessie. You done a damn good job. So jus' relax an' leave the rest to us."

"Copy that!" she gave him a thumbs up. Then she smiled, her eyes finding Cloud. "And remember, my sweet SOLDIER boy, you're taking me out on a date tonight. So hurry back, alright?"

"You bet," he nodded.

Jessie grew quiet then. "And Cloud… if you would, can you get in a few hits for me when you fight that thing? I… I think you know why. It would mean a lot to me."

"Done," he promised. "He'll get the message."

"Thank you," she murmured.

I had noticed how angry Heidegger had made her, and I figured it was more than just hating Shinra itself. But I didn't know what it might be or why he had set her off like that. I had never seen Jessie so furious before, and it worried me. Was it something about her past? Even with all she'd told me, I still didn't know a lot about it.

Barret scratched his chin. "Sure you're okay, Jessie?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "Now go out there and raise some hell, guys! We're counting on you. Good luck!"

Waving to us, Jessie winked and cut the signal. We glanced at each other as the screen went dark, all of us determined to turn Shinra's own trap against them and finish our mission. We knew what we had to do, and there was no hesitation, no doubt.

Barret grinned. "Let's get to it! Reactor's callin' us, darin' us to blow it. Time to accept the challenge. Then we get our happy asses home. All of us. No exceptions. You hear?"

"Right," I said. "Marlene's waiting for us."

"Gonna give her a nice, big smile, merc?" he chuckled.

Cloud shrugged. "For the right price."

"Bet you'd do it for free if Jessie asked ya," Barret laughed as we left the control room. "Girl's really somethin', ain't she?"

"Can't deny that," Cloud admitted.

Barret slapped his shoulder as we sped through the unlocked door. "Guess we better take out big boy real fast, then. You don't wanna keep her waitin', merc. Ain't polite, you know."

He nodded. "Don't intend to."

I couldn't help smirking a little as we raced through the next room and into the entry hall. Even though he didn't show it much around us, I knew he cared about her. He might not have always known quite how to express it, but I could see it in his eyes whenever he looked at her. It was sweet, and I was happy for them.

Barret glanced at us as we came to the exit. "Ready, y'all?"

"You know it!" I replied.

A tilt of his chin and hardening of his gaze were all Cloud gave us, but it was enough. It was all I needed. His stoic, sturdy presence helped reassure me and gave me confidence. After checking our weapons and materia, we all shared a determined glance.

"Showtime!" Barret led us out.

When we rushed onto the bridge, it was suspiciously empty at first, the walls of the reactor compound rising up on either side as we made our way forward. But just as we reached the junction where the bridge split in two different directions, a squad of Shinra troops suddenly ran out of the large exit to our left. They raised their guns as we skidded to a halt. Two dozen men between us and freedom.

"Shit…" Barret spat. "The hell's this?"

Cloud grimaced. "The trap."

I pointed back the way we'd come. "Look!"

Walking out of the reactor entrance was President Shinra himself. I couldn't believe it. I'd known they were setting us up here, but still, all I could do was stare at him in disbelief as he strode toward us. How had he gotten here? He hadn't been inside, I was sure of it. I couldn't figure it out at first, but then I noticed the two slug-rays, one on either side of him, projecting his image. A hologram.

"President Shinra?" Barret snarled. "Old man himself."

Dressed in a crisp business suit and tie with a lit cigar in one hand, the president stopped a few steps outside the reactor entrance, looking at us as if we were bugs. He stroked his moustache with his other hand, a cold sneer on his face. I shivered, hating the sight of it, and tightened my fingers into fists at my sides.

"What's he doing here?" I whispered. "I didn't think he'd really play a part in this thing."

"His first mistake," Barret growled.

President Shinra puffed on his cigar. "So, the infamous Avalanche. A blight upon our fair city."

Barret clenched his fist. "You're the blight, old man! Drainin' away the planet's life for your goddamn profits! Look around ya! Animals an' plants are dyin' every day, an' the ground goes dry. All because of them reactors! An' don't you forget it, Mr. President!"

"I would like nothing better," he said. "You, no doubt, would go on for hours with no end in sight. Unfortunately, we have no time for such wasteful indulgences. Your rhetoric ends here."

"It's been a long time, sir," Cloud drew his sword.

President Shinra gazed thoughtfully at him. "A long time? Ah, one who has bathed in mako. Your eyes tell the tale, SOLDIER. There is no mistaking it. But I do not know you."

Cloud narrowed his eyes. "Cloud. Ex-SOLDIER."

"Pardon the inquiry," the president went on. "I don't remember just anyone, after all. Unless, of course, you become another Sephiroth. But since you haven't, we—"

"Sephiroth!?" Cloud cut him off. "What about him?"

President Shinra chuckled coldly. "Struck a nerve, have I? He was a brilliant man, a genius. Perhaps too much. And as for you, never forget this—once a SOLDIER, always a SOLDIER."

Barret rushed ahead a few steps. "Don't give a shit 'bout that! This place is goin' up with a bang soon enough, and y'all gonna get jus' what you moneygrubbin' assholes deserve!"

"And you still don't understand the role you are to play in this," the president spread his arms out wide. "You are but pawns, tools for us to sell great and glorious war to the people. And to that end, we must not allow your tools of insurrection to go to waste."

My eyes widened. "What!? What do you mean?"

He continued. "Your actions have heightened the public's fears and fire on their own, but we must still help the process along. A destroyed reactor serves our purposes far better than a broken one. So Shinra will do its part to ensure your bomb does its job."

"What are you talking about!?" Cloud demanded.

"My dear sewer rats—allies of Wutai, our sworn enemy—you think you could have done what you did without our help? We will finish the work you began here, just as we did in Reactor 1. A high price, but well worth it to exterminate vermin like you."

I gasped, the full magnitude of what he'd said hitting me in the face as if I'd been punched. And as Cloud and I exchanged a startled glance, the same thought flashed across both of our minds in an instant—what had happened with Reactor 1 and the resulting devastation in Sector 8 wasn't Jessie's fault at all. It was Shinra!

"Vermin!?" Barret snorted. "Only vermin 'round here's you Shinra jackasses killin' the planet! Guess that'd make you King Vermin! An' we ain't no allies of Wutai either, so shut up!"

"I tire of your endless blathering," President Shinra sneered. "So let us begin the main event, shall we? Avalanche, the terrorists conspiring with Wutai against Midgar. Your guilt is certain, your sentence—death. And I present to you your executioner."

I glanced at the others as a loud hum suddenly rose in the air. "Do you hear something?"

Just then, the exit on the other end of the catwalk from the soldiers opened, and that huge mech we'd seen and sabotaged inside the reactor moved quickly toward us. It didn't have any legs but hovered above the wide metal bridge using a large, dome-shaped device below its waist. It stopped about twenty feet away as a Shinra helicopter circled overhead, no doubt filming everything going on.

Barret lifted his gun-arm. "The hell? Big boy's here!"

"Call him Airbuster," the president explained. "Originally designed by your skilled young friend. But in her absence, we've since improved upon her work. A triumph of our Weapons Development Division. I'm certain you can appreciate the irony."

"Jessie?" Barret gaped.

My mind whirled. "She was in Shinra?"

President Shinra nodded, smiling coldly. "Oh, you didn't know? So much the better. Dying at the hands of your friend's creation. I couldn't have dreamed of a more fitting end for you. Your public execution will serve to greatly enhance our troops' loyalty and morale, so that even in death, you will still be ours."

"Not happening," Cloud hefted his sword.

"If you'll excuse me," the president said, puffing on his cigar. "This is where we part ways. I have a dinner to attend."

Barret snarled. "Dinner? I ain't finished with you!"

Cloud ran down the center catwalk after President Shinra, his eyes blazing. "Wait! Get back here!"

But he was too late. The hologram fizzled and went out just before he could reach him, the slug-rays falling to the metal grating while the chopper flew above us, filming it all. Airbuster charged at Barret and I, and we just barely got out of the way as it swept past us and the troops over on the far side of the bridge withdrew.

"Cloud!" Barret shouted. "Need your help, merc! We still gotta take this big boy out!"

I brought up my fists. "Come on, Cloud!"

He raced back toward us. "Damn! Couldn't catch him."

"Anything like this in SOLDIER?" I asked.

Cloud crept up behind Airbuster, just like we'd planned. "Nothing. It's just a machine, Tifa. That's all."

Barret grimaced. "One that Jessie made."

"No!" Cloud corrected him, his voice like a whip. "She designed it, but she didn't build it."

"Same difference!" Barret shook his head.

I glared at them, holding up the detonator. "Can we do this later!? I can't shut down the bomb! They've rigged it!"

Barret swore. "Shit! Gotta bust this thing up fast!"

Cloud struck first, a flurry of quick slashes across Airbuster's broad back that made the whole thing shudder with every blow. After firing a few shots at me and Barret, the mech turned around, and I got to work. My fists hammered the spot Cloud had hit as I charged in while Barret opened fire with his gun-arm, that new assault cannon of his punching into the metal armor as if it were paper.

I kept striking Airbuster's back, hoping that if we could weaken the armor enough, we could get at the mech's internals and really do some damage. A sudden shot from its rear gun forced me to backflip away to avoid getting shot as Cloud sliced and diced on the other side, his face a mask of concentration. As Barret kept feeding Airbuster with bullets, it turned back around to face us again.

Dodging its reaching arms, I sped back in again, answering with a blinding shower of punches and kicks that left plenty of dents in its teal armor plating. That metal monster still held, though. Jessie, it seemed, hadn't been slouching when she had designed this thing. And I started to understand, at least a little, why she had asked Cloud to take it down for her. She'd rather see her work destroyed than let Shinra continue to use it for war, devastation, and death.

My fists tightening, I resolved to help her, smashing Airbuster with a vicious roundhouse kick as I did. When Cloud shocked it with a bolt of lightning from his materia, it suddenly rose up in the air, the base of its hovering apparatus glowing brightly as a loud rumbling sound filled our ears and its huge fists clenched.

"Back off!" Cloud warned. "Big bomber incoming!"

Barret was already behind me, scooting back even further when he realized what was coming. I was still next to Airbuster, though, gazing at it as it hovered above us and prepared to fire. Just as I started to run, it shot a huge blast of energy before I could escape. And suddenly I was flying, the force of the BB's impact hurling me past Barret to slam hard into the catwalk with a pained shriek.

I tried to stand up, but my arms and legs were like jelly, and I sank back to the floor and blacked out. I woke up again just seconds later to see Barret kneeling next to me, worry on his face as sparkles of energy swirled nearby for a moment or two before finally fading away. On the ground were the remains of several small, bright red feathers, and I felt strong enough to move again as I sat up.

Barret helped me to my feet. "You awright?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Good thing you had that phoenix down on you. Don't want to think about the alternative."

"Found it in Reactor 1. Knew it'd come in handy."

I drank a potion to take care of my injuries as best I could. "That it did, Barret. Now let's get back to work!"

He grinned, hefting his gun-arm. "Right on, girl!"

Cloud was busy holding Airbuster's attention as we raced back into the fight. It had turned back to face him after firing the BB and floating back down to its original spot just above the catwalk. While Barret shot it with a blast of orange fire from his assault cannon, I slammed it with a barrage of jabs, kicks, and a fierce right cross.

Barret's big shot blew Airbuster's rear gun off in a shower of sparks and smoke, and the mech spun back around to face us again. I greeted it with a leaping somersault kick to its chest as Cloud hit it at the same time from the other side with another lightning bolt. As several panels blew off the sides and Airbuster whirled around to strike at him again, an idea suddenly came to me.

"Cloud!" I called. "Remember what Jessie told us! Airbuster attacks whoever damages it last. If we can hit it fast enough…"

He sliced at it. "Right! Hit it one after another, fast as we can. Keep Airbuster so busy turning around it won't have a chance to hit us back. You got that, Barret?"

"Loud n' clear, merc!" he answered.

I started us off, slamming it with my fists and feet in the same spot I'd hit it before. The metal, already bent from our previous attacks, split apart with the impact, exposing wires and circuitry. As Airbuster spun back to face me, Cloud hit it with three quick slices and a third fork of electricity before drinking an ether he must've found somewhere in the underplate to keep his energy up.

Barret and I went next, fists and bullets shaking its entire frame as it turned back to us. And so it went, back and forth as we timed all our attacks carefully and quickly to keep Airbuster moving between us and unable to retaliate. Before long, we heard a loud grinding noise when it tried to turn again. It failed, its motors whining in protest as Barret and I shared a knowing grin.

"Jessie was right!" I called. "It's stuck!"

Cloud nodded. "Let's finish it!"

This time, we all struck at once, Cloud slicing at Airbuster with his sword from the back while Barret and I came at it from the front, kicks and bullets ripping into its body. Then I struck it with a series of rising punches followed by a drop kick to the face.

As I leaped away, Cloud jumped in, sword overhead, and slammed it down into Airbuster's shoulder with a loud yell, nearly taking its arm off. Sparks erupted from it as Barret and I continued to press the attack at the same time, and suddenly the mech just exploded, shrapnel flying everywhere as we landed on our backs, tossed onto the metal bridge by the force of the explosion like rag dolls.

It also destroyed the section of the catwalk that Airbuster had been hovering over, fragments of steel and concrete flying apart in the midst of a blazing orange fireball. And Cloud… he was caught in the middle of it, thrown high into the air before falling down again, out of control as he spun helplessly toward the gap in the bridge.

His left arm shot out as he fell, grabbing onto the edge of a broken metal beam at the last moment with one outstretched hand. Sliding his sword onto his back, Cloud tried to reach up to the edge of the catwalk and pull himself up, but it was too far away. My heart pounding, I went to him on my hands and knees from the other side of the gap and held out my hand, desperate to get him to safety.

"Cloud!" I stretched my arm out as far as I could. "Take my hand! I know you can do it! Please!"

He reached his hand out to me, his fingers just barely touching my fingertips, but it just wasn't enough, and his arm fell away a moment or two later. I shook my head, refusing to give up, and tried again to grab hold of him. But it wasn't enough.

Cloud shook his head. "Sorry, Tifa. I can't reach you."

I looked at Barret, who had come up behind me. "Barret! Help me! Isn't there anything you can do!?"

"No," he sighed. "Not a goddamn thing."

Just then, the entire reactor complex began to shake as a deep roar nearly deafened me. I looked up to see tongues of fire blasting through the walls. It was starting, but I couldn't go without Cloud. Lying flat on my stomach, I reached out toward him again, needing it to be enough, _willing_ it to be enough. He stretched his free hand out to me again, but just like before, I still couldn't get to him.

I blinked away angry tears as I looked at him dangling there above the swirling mist and mako fumes. Thunder sounded in my ears as the reactor kept fall apart, but I didn't care. I just stared at Cloud with that terribly long drop to the slums so far below us. This… this just couldn't be happening! It couldn't! Not now!

"Don't you die on me, Cloud!" I pleaded. "Don't you dare! Please! I have so much to tell you!"

He nodded. "I know, Tifa…"

Barret called to him. "Gonna be okay, merc?"

"Yeah," Cloud insisted. "This isn't the end of the line for me or you. Just get Tifa outta here!"

"Will do, Cloud. Sorry 'bout this mess."

He grimaced. "Don't you be talking like that, Barret. I'm not about to die here! You got that?"

Barret pumped his fist. "I hear ya!"

In spite of Cloud's words, I was still terribly afraid for him. I didn't know how he could possibly survive. Would I ever see him again? As I gazed at him, his eyes met mine. His voice was softer when he spoke to me again and saw how I was struggling.

"Tifa," he said. "You've gotta go. It'll be alright."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

He went on. "Positive. We'll see each other again. And… tell Jessie not to worry. I'll find my way back to her."

"Alright," I agreed. "I will."

Barret grabbed my arm as the reactor started to go up "Tifa! We've gotta move! Now! It's gonna blow!"

I let him pull me to my feet. "Cloud…"

Just then, tremors shook the area as flames burst out of the reactor entrance and debris began falling all around us. I gasped, reaching out as the impact shook Cloud loose from the metal bar, but he was too far away. All I could do was watch helplessly as he plummeted through the grayish fumes and fell out of sight.

By then, Barret was pulling frantically at my shoulder, and with an effort, I tore myself away from the gap in the catwalk and ran after him toward the exit. More explosions tore through the reactor, and just as I sped through the gateway behind Barret, the rest of the catwalk simply collapsed as huge broken pipes crashed through it.

I glanced over my shoulder before we left the reactor complex and took a last look at the place where Cloud had fallen. As I did, I thought of what he'd told me. I had to be strong now, so I took a deep breath to steady myself. I'd see him again. I knew that now. I knew it in my heart. He was still alive. Had to be. As my doubts fell away, my fingers curled into fists at my sides, and I raced into the Sector 4-5 tunnel with Barret while the reactor exploded behind us.


	31. THIRTY

## THIRTY

The lights flickered fitfully as Barret and I made our way down the tunnel between Sectors 4 and 5. Wires hung loose here and there, and I jumped a little when one sparked nearby. Huge chunks of stone lay on the ground in places, some so big that we had to flatten ourselves up in between them and the concrete wall to squeeze our way through. Now and then, the place would rumble and shake with tremors as Reactor 5 continued to collapse behind us.

"How much farther?" I asked as I followed Barret.

He motioned ahead of us. "Shouldn't be long now. Once we find us the doors out, we'll be in the clear."

I nodded. "Then we find a way home."

"Right. Train station oughta be pretty busy, so we'll jus' sneak on in an' ride it back to the slums."

"I hope the others are safe," I said.

Barret guided us through a maze of fallen debris and leaking pipes. "They are. No need to worry, Tifa. Biggs'll have made sure of it. They'll all be there waitin' for us. Marlene, Biggs, Wedge…"

"Jessie," I finished.

At the mention of her name, Barret stopped, his good hand curling into a fist. I stood behind him, understanding his anger even if I didn't share it myself. What we'd learned about her from President Shinra had shocked us both, and while I was sure Jessie must've had good reasons for keeping so much of her past a secret, I still couldn't believe she had kept her ties to Shinra from us, and for so long.

Barret frowned. "Don't wanna talk 'bout her right now."

I knew better than to press the issue, so I let it go for now as we got underway again. We found the doors a few minutes later, locked tight. Normally only maintenance workers came into the service tunnels that ran in between the different sectors, and these places were always kept closed to the public for security reasons.

"How do we get out?" I asked.

Barret motioned for me to stay behind him. "Back up."

I moved back a little and watched as he lifted up his gun-arm, took careful aim at the lock, and fired a few shots. It shattered in a shower of bright yellow sparks, and when Barret and I walked up and pushed on the doors, they swung open easily. We hurried outside into an enclosed alley and what looked like a war zone.

Several nearby buildings were on fire, and rubble was everywhere. I heard the wailing of sirens, and overhead, a Shinra helicopter flew by, probably surveying the damage. No doubt they'd blame us for all of the death and devastation. Although I knew we hadn't caused this, at least not directly, we were the excuse Shinra had used to bring it about. And I couldn't help feeling responsible.

"Was it like this last time?" I glanced at Barret.

He sighed. "Yeah. Ain't pretty, but even with all that's happened, we still got two reactors down. Six to go."

I stared at him. "You can't be serious!"

"Planet ain't never gonna be safe 'till we take 'em all out, one way or the other," Barret said. "Can't stop now, Tifa. Soon as Cloud gets his ass home, we gonna start plannin' for the next one."

"We can't keep doing this!" I argued.

He brushed past me. "Nothin' else for it. Planet needs us."

I followed Barret onto a nearby street. "What!? Have you forgotten what just happened back there? We walked right into a trap, Cloud fell off the plate, and we barely escaped with our lives!"

"Keep your voice down," he hissed. "We ain't alone out here."

I looked around and saw it was true. There were clusters of people huddled here and there up and down the street. They were talking with each other and casting anxious glances at us as we passed. I hadn't ever been to this part of the plate before, and I hoped Barret knew where he was going. Edging a little closer to him, I lowered my voice and hoped no one would recognize us.

I looked anxiously at him. "If we don't stop, Barret, sooner or later one or more of us is going to get badly hurt or even killed. And I know you don't want that. There's gotta be another way."

"Ain't no other way," he insisted.

"Find one," I glared at him. "Because I don't want anyone to die for this crusade of yours."

He grimaced. "Train station's up ahead."

I noticed the change in subject but decided not to push it. We were still out in public, and this was a discussion that we'd be better to finish back home and in private. And I hoped that I'd be able to get the others into it as well. I was sure we could come up with something. But first, I intended to go looking for Cloud.

The station was crowded, just as Barret had said it would be, and it was easy enough for us to sneak aboard one of the freight cars. With all that had happened, our ID's had probably been flagged, and we knew it was too much of a risk anyway to try buying a ticket. The fight against Airbuster must've been broadcast all over Midgar.

Once were were safely aboard, I pulled out my phone, intending to try and call Cloud to see if he was alright. But there was no signal. The explosion at Reactor 5 must've caused a major disruption in service up here and probably down in the slums as well.

We'd had some problems with the phones after Reactor 1 had gone up, too, but Shinra's repair crews had gotten everything fixed up within a few days. And unless Cloud found his way home soon, it would be at least that long before I could contact him. As the train moved out, I sat down against the wall and hoped he was safe.

* * *

— _Hey, buddy. You okay? Can you hear me? —_

A voice in my mind. A kid's voice. A boy, maybe eight or nine. But who? I didn't know. All I did know was that everything was dark. Was I unconscious? Maybe. The last thing I remembered was falling from the catwalk outside Reactor 5. I had seen Tifa and Barret racing for the exit just before the mist and mako fumes had blocked out everything above me, and I was sure they were alright.

Then there had been the splintering of wood breaking underneath me as I had crashed through it before landing on something oddly soft and yielding. Then, nothing. Unconsciousness, I supposed. Along with that strange voice, calling to me in the dark. I almost knew that voice, I realized. But I couldn't place it. That fog was in the way, swirling in my mind and making it hard to remember. My thoughts drifting, I figured I'd go ahead and answer the voice.

_Yeah. I'm fine._

— _Good. Got by with just some skinned knees back then.—_

_Back then? What do you mean?_

Skinned knees? I couldn't remember ever doing that. What was the voice talking about? I wasn't sure, but I did know pain was everywhere. Every part of me ached, and I was vaguely aware that I was lying on my back. But it felt distant, far away, as if I was floating deep underwater. I wondered if I'd be able to get to the surface.

— _Doesn't matter right now. You need to focus on yourself. See if you can move around a little. —_

_Might as well give it a try, I guess._

I tried to concentrate and focus my thoughts on what I intended to do. It'd be best to start off small, I decided, and so with all the strength I could manage, I flexed my fingers. It seemed to take forever, but after a moment or two, I felt myself move a little. Didn't go too fast, though. Might make it hurt worse if I did.

— _Good. Slow and steady. That's it. Easy does it. —_

_Right, I know. But… who are you?_

The voice didn't answer, though. It was gone, at least for now. But I had the feeling I'd be hearing from it again. I didn't know what to make of it or if that was a good thing or not. Maybe it was just stuff from the mako, making my mind go a little crazy. As appealing as that idea was, though, I couldn't bring myself to believe it.

"Oh! He moved! What a relief!"

Another voice? A girl's, by the sound of it. And not in my head, but awake. It was also vaguely familiar, but at the moment I couldn't figure out where I'd heard it before. I must've landed in her place, wherever it was. Somewhere in the Sector 5 slums, probably. I'd been over this way a few times with Jessie during her trips for work, but not often, and she had never stayed here for very long.

"Hello? Anybody home?"

That girl again. Who was she? Although I was still hurting all over, I could feel my strength coming back. I turned my head a bit, rising up toward the surface as I did. Wouldn't be much longer now. With a little effort, I managed to move my leg slightly. Almost there. I concentrated on waking up and escaping from the depths, and slowly, with a pained groan, I finally opened my eyes.

And saw _her._

She smiled and clasped her hands together. "Awake at last! Had me worried there for a minute. You okay?"

It was the girl in the pink dress, the one who'd been selling flowers in Sector 8 when Reactor 1 had gone up. I blinked, surprised to see her again, and just stared at her for a moment. She seemed almost brighter here than when I'd first met her on the plate, as if the light was coming from her instead of the late afternoon sky shining through a hole in the roof and the stained glass windows.

I sat up and nodded. "Yeah, I think so. What is this place?"

"An old church in the Sector 5 slums," the girl answered. "So here I was, just minding my own business, when you suddenly came crashing down through the roof! Scared me half to death, you know. Almost fell right on top of me! Good thing you missed."

I looked around, taking in my surroundings for the first time. Just as the girl had said, I was in a church. It didn't look like it been used in years, though. Rows of old wooden pews sat empty amidst a collection of rounded stone columns that lined either side of this place. Here and there, a few unlit chandeliers hung from the rafters.

Behind me, at the front of the sanctuary, a small platform rose up a few steps from the floor, and on it stood a plain altar with a high stone arch rising over it from the back wall. A large, faded tapestry decorated the wall on either side, and in the back of the church, a pair of wooden double doors stood closed.

"I fell down here?" I asked.

She stood up. "Yeah. From the plate, I'm guessing. You're lucky you landed here in my flower bed. Like, _really_ lucky. It broke your fall. That and the roof, of course."

I looked down to see the oddest part of this place. I was in front of the dais in the open area in between the pews and the altar, but a large part of the floor had been pulled away to expose the soft ground under it. A few planks lay nearby around the edges of the hole, and out of the dirt grew flowers. Dozens of them, mostly yellow and white, but with a few red, blue, and purple ones here and there.

I stood up in a hurry. "Sorry. Didn't mean to—"

"It's okay," the girl said. "They're a lot tougher than they look. This place, it has a kind of power, you know? Plants and flowers, they have a hard time growing in most parts of Midgar. But not here. I have one or two other places I raise them in as well."

"Really?" I asked.

She closed her eyes for a minute and took a long, contented breath. "Yep. This is my favorite, though."

I could see why. It was peaceful here, and I realized that the air was clean, too. The fragrant scent of the flowers drowned out the stench of the mako fumes that hung over so much of the slums, and I breathed it in deeply. I was genuinely impressed with what she'd done here, and as I took it all in, I reminded myself to mention it to Jessie and Tifa when I got back home. Seemed like something they'd like.

At the thought of Jessie, I reached into my pocket, groping around until my fingers finally closed over what I was looking for. Relief swept through me as I took out the chocobo feather in its flattened glass case and gazed at it for a moment. Then, staring up at the hole in the roof, I allowed myself a faint little smile. Looked like her gift really did work. I had definitely been lucky to land where I did.

"What's that?" the flower girl asked.

I slipped it back into my pocket. "Nothing, just a good luck charm. Gift from a friend."

She giggled. "Good thing you had it, then, huh?"

"Yeah," I agreed.

"Well, here we are, together again," she smiled. "You _do_ remember who I am, don't you?"

I did. "You sold me a flower."

"That's right!" she beamed. "I'm so glad you remembered! Thanks for buying one, by the way."

"Sure," I nodded.

The girl turned and knelt down for a moment to check her flowers. Her long, rich brown hair was still neatly tied in that thick braid, but as she moved, I caught a glimpse of something bright nestled at the top of it in between the ends of her pink ribbon. I couldn't make it out at first, but then she stood up again and brushed herself off.

"So, got any materia on you?" she asked.

"Yeah, a few," I replied. "Most everyone does."

She laughed and took something from her hair. "Not like mine. It's special. Doesn't do much, though."

I looked at what she held in her hand. It was a materia orb, but not like any I'd seen before. Smaller than most, maybe an inch or so across, and a soft, milky white color with just a hint of pale green. This had to have been what I'd seen a moment ago. She must've realized I'd spotted it earlier and had used her question as an excuse to tell me about it and spare me the awkwardness of asking.

"Probably just don't know how it works," I shrugged.

The girl shook her head. "I do. It just doesn't do anything. Not yet, anyway. Makes me feel safe, though. My mother gave to me when I was little. Just having it is all I need."

I folded my arms in front of me. "Fair enough."

She smirked as she put it away. "So, since we've run into each other again, feel like chatting for a bit? I do."

"Couldn't hurt," I agreed.

"Great!" the girl smiled. "Just give me a minute, okay? I've got to go check on my flowers. It's not that easy to grow them, you know. Takes a lot of work, the poor things. Be right back!"

While she hummed quietly to herself and walked around her little garden, I thought about what my next move should be. I figured Barret and Tifa ought to have at least gotten off the plate by now, maybe even made it back to Sector 7. It didn't look like I'd been out that long. It had been almost dark when we had fought Airbuster outside Reactor 5, but the gloom that always seemed to hang over the city made the day seem almost like night up there sometimes.

The girl in the pink dress and red jacket leaned over here and there to get a better look at her blossoms, inspect some of the petals, smooth out leaves, or carefully prune a few stems with a tiny pair of shears she took out of her pocket. As she kept on working, I decided that after I'd spent a few minutes here with her, I'd see about finding my way back to Sector 7 as soon as I could. I thought about the strange premonition I'd had this morning and shivered.

"Oh, that's right!" the girl said as I walked over to join her. "I don't think we've actually introduced ourselves yet. I'm Aerith, your friendly neighborhood flower girl. Nice to meet you!"

"Cloud," I told her. "I do whatever needs doing."

Her green eyes danced. "A jack of all trades, huh? Sounds fun!"

I supposed it was. "Yeah. I can handle anything."

Aerith suddenly burst out laughing, her hand flying to her mouth, but I didn't have any idea what was so amusing to her. I didn't think I'd said anything funny, but apparently, she did. It took a few moments for her to finally compose herself.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"Sorry, I just—" Aerith started to answer.

The sound of the doors opening cut her off, and we turned to see a lean, lanky man in a dark blue suit and slacks striding casually into the church. His jacket and white collared shirt were buttoned only halfway, exposing a smooth, hairless chest.

His hair was a bright red, tied in a long, thin tail and spiked in the front, and he gazed at us with a pair of cold blue eyes. Nestled over his forehead were a set of dark goggles, possibly for night vision. He held a steel nightstick in his left hand, and while it he had it resting lightly on his shoulder at the moment, I didn't doubt he could have it ready in an instant if things came to a fight.

With him were three Shinra soldiers, all armed with standard-issue assault rifles. What did they want with Aerith? I narrowed my eyes but didn't reach for Buster just yet. Might still be able to talk our way out of this, though I didn't have high hopes for it.

"Hey, Cloud," Aerith moved closer to me. "Got any experience as a bodyguard? You _do_ do everything, don't you?"

I nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."

I'd done a lot of that sort of work, protecting Jessie during her trips across the slums to see her customers, and I didn't mind helping Aerith as well. If she needed a bodyguard for a little while, I'd take on the job. At least until I got back to Sector 7. It'd give me something to do on the way, and I'd feel better if I knew Aerith was safe.

"Then take me home," she said. "Get me out of here."

I kept my eyes fixed on our uninvited guests. "Sure. It's gonna cost you, though. A lot."

Not really, but I hadn't been able to resist messing with Aerith a bit. I didn't have any intention of charging a fee, and I was sure she knew it despite how serious I'd sounded. As I took a few steps toward the pews and the back of the church, she followed me.

"In that case, how about a date?" Aerith asked. "Just one!"

"What?" I stared at her.

Before she could answer, though, the man in the suit smiled coldly at us. "Saw myself in, thanks. And who are you?"

I frowned. "Cloud. Ex-SOLDIER."

"And my bodyguard!" Aerith added. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Got the eyes at least," the man said.

He didn't seem familiar, not at first. "Never seen you before. Guess you don't know me, either."

"Not a clue, genius," the guy sneered.

"Figured," I said. "I—"

Suddenly, as I looked at him, another bolt of pain struck my head. I grabbed it, my hand on my temple as I grimaced. But after a moment, it subsided. I shook it off, my mind feeling full of cobwebs that I had to clear out a bit at a time, and realized what I'd said before wasn't right. I _did_ know the guy. Not by name, but by reputation.

Aerith took my shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I said. Then I turned to the man in the suit. "Guess I know you after all. I recognize the uniform."

"What a weirdo," one of the soldiers snickered.

I glared at him. "Need me to shut that mouth of yours for you? Got a special going on for Shinra dogs."

He raised his rifle. "Can I shoot him, Reno? Can I?"

"Dunno yet," Reno said. "And you, Mr. SOLDIER. What class?"

"First," I answered.

He snorted. "Come on, man! If you're gonna try to bullshit me, the least you can do is make it believable."

I reached for Buster, pretty sure now that a battle was unavoidable. The other soldiers brought up their guns, but Reno still hadn't moved. Then he lifted his arm and motioned for his men to back up. They did, falling back toward the doors as I drew my sword and Reno readied his nightstick. Our eyes locked on each other, watching and waiting to see who'd make the first move.

"Mind the flowers!" Aerith ordered. "Don't fight here!"

"I'll make it quick," I told her.

She took my arm. "No, Cloud! This way!"

I glanced over my shoulder to see her pointing behind us at a small door in the front wall off to the left of the altar. Nodding to Aerith, I let my eyes slide back to Reno and his men while we backed away toward the door. On the way there, Aerith darted into a nearby corner, where a slender mythril staff was leaning against the wall. She quickly picked it up, then led me to the exit as I shouldered Buster.

As we left, I heard Reno behind us. "Tryin' to cut and run, are we? We'll see about that, bodyguard."

I ignored him as Aerith and I made our escape.

* * *

As Barret and I stepped off the train and onto the platform, I tried my phone again. Still nothing, though. I had hoped that there might've been at least a partial signal by now, but the lines were still down. I was sure Cloud was alright, wherever he was—he'd been a SOLDIER, tough as they came, and I believed his promise that I'd see him again—but in spite of that, I still worried about him.

"Finally made it," Barret stretched his arms.

"Not all of us," I reminded him.

Barret nodded. "Cloud'll find his way back, Tif. You heard what he told ya. So chin up. He'll be fine."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Let's head over to the bar."

I followed him down the road, eager to see Marlene and the others even as I tried to figure out how to tell them about what had happened and why Cloud wasn't with us. Jessie, especially. It would be hardest on her, I knew. There was also the matter of her past with Shinra. I wasn't angry with her, not like Barret, but I _was_ a little hurt that she hadn't felt she could trust us enough to tell us about it.

Jessie and I had always been close, right from the beginning, but I'd never pressed her for details about where she had come from. For most people down here, it was something you just didn't ask about. But with what we were involved in, fighting against Shinra, maybe I should've. I didn't know. I just wished she would've told us.

Barret and I were just passing the pillar complex on our right when I suddenly saw something out of the corner of my eye. I turned to look, wanting to make sure of what I'd seen and that I wasn't imagining it. As I did, I motioned for him to stop for a moment.

"What is it?" he asked.

I pointed at the pillar. "Look, Barret. Someone's in there."

He followed my gaze to see what I was looking at. The gate into the complex stood open, and climbing the stairs were two men in the gray coveralls of Shinra maintenance workers. They wore hard hats on their heads as they made their way slowly up through the different floors. It all seemed ordinary enough, but I still couldn't help feeling uneasy, and I shivered as a chill raced down my spine.

"Jus' a couple'a workers, Tif," Barret shrugged.

I shook my head. "Doing what? Nobody ever goes there. Jessie told me why. Aside from it being creepy, all the systems and equipment for distributing power to the slums are automated. In five years, I've never seen anyone go in there. Until now."

He scratched his head. "Whaddya s'pose they're up to?"

"I'm not sure," I sighed. "But I don't like it."

Although I didn't share Jessie's fear of the pillar, I still didn't like it. There was something brooding and oppressive about it, and no matter where you went in Sector 7, you could always see it looming overhead. I didn't know what those maintenance workers, if that's what they even were, had come here to do, but the sight of them climbing up the stairs to the control platform filled me with dread.

There wasn't anything Barret and I could do about it, though. After watching the two workers until they had gotten too high for us to see, I sighed and turned away, not liking the way things were going. First, the trap in Reactor 5, then Cloud's fall, and now this. Something was going on, something bad. I didn't know what it was, but I couldn't deny what my instincts were telling me. As I started walking again, I hoped Cloud would hurry and get back here soon.

I had the feeling we were going to need him.


	32. THIRTY-ONE

## THIRTY-ONE

Aerith and I hurried into what had once been the bell tower. It was just a ruin now, though. An old Shinra test rocket must've crashed into this place long ago—its ruined, rusting bulk was lying nose downward from the ceiling all the way to the floor at a steep angle. It had smashed its way through the long set of wooden stairs that rose up to the rafters, leaving gaps here and there as streamers of soft, late afternoon daylight shone through several stained glass windows.

"This way," I pointed to the stairs.

We started climbing, making our way carefully up the old wooden steps as fast as we could until we reached a long landing near the top. It ran along the wall, and at the far end was a ladder leading up to a set of thick oak beams suspended from the ceiling. But right between us and the way out was a large hole in the landing about ten feet across where the rocket had crashed through it.

Just then, Reno led his soldiers into the bell tower after us, running inside and looking around until he glanced up and spotted us. A chilly grin spread across his face as I glared at him and felt Aerith move just a little closer to me. Reno motioned to the soldiers, then pointed toward us with his nightstick.

"Up there!" he said. "Found 'em!"

Aerith took my arm. "Cloud, they're coming!"

I nodded. "I see 'em, Aerith. Looks like they're not just gonna let us walk on outta here."

"Any ideas?" she asked.

"Only one," I answered. "Don't get caught."

Looking back at the gap in the landing, I backed up a few steps and had Aerith do the same. Then I ran and jumped across the hole, easily clearing it and landing lightly on the other side. After straightening up, I turned and motioned for Aerith to follow me. It wasn't that far, and I was pretty sure she could make it.

"Aerith!" I called to her. "Over here!"

She swallowed and peered over the edge, then backed up again in a hurry. "Sorry, Cloud. I don't think I can do this."

I sighed. "Fine. I'll handle 'em."

"Okay," Aerith said. "Don't let 'em catch me!"

Reno glanced at his men. "Looks like the Ancient's on her way out. Let's bring her in, shall we? Get her!"

I was just getting ready to jump back across the gap and head back down the stairs to deal with Reno when the soldiers with him suddenly opened fire. The section of the landing beneath Aerith's feet splintered and collapsed, and she tumbled with a startled shriek down the side of the old rocket all the way to the bottom.

Aerith landed on the floor, a cloud of dust rising around her as she lay flat on her stomach panting for breath. Then she stood up, brushed herself off, and picked up her staff. She was just about to head back up the stairs when the three soldiers started running toward her, Reno not far behind them as he tapped his nightstick.

"No shooting, you idiots!" he spat. "If there's even a scratch on her, you're dead. She's not to be harmed."

Aerith gripped her staff. "That's a relief… I think."

I called down to her. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah," she answered. "Could really use a hand here, though."

"Hang on!" I told her.

I had find a way to help her, but how? I didn't have much time, and the soldiers would reach Aerith in just a few seconds, long before I'd be able to. Then, as my eyes drifted up to the rafters again, I suddenly had an idea. I'd spotted something up there I could use, and I ran across the landing and up the ladder as fast as I could.

Sitting on the crisscrossing wooden beams were four barrels, heavy and covered with dust. They'd probably been put up here for storage in the days when this place had still been used. I moved up next to one of them, then when the first soldier got close to Aerith, I pushed it over. It plummeted right onto him, knocking him out cold.

"Nice shot, Cloud!" Aerith smiled.

I hurried to the next one as she started up the stairs, the other two soldiers right behind her. When one of them caught up to her near the top of the first set of steps, I sent the barrel down after him. It smashed into his chest and left him lying in a daze on his back while Aerith ran further up, giggling the whole time.

She winked. "Good job, bodyguard!"

Then she raced onward as I went to a third barrel. When the last of Reno's men closed in on her halfway up the next staircase, I let it loose, sending it flying down onto the stairs. It rolled into him, flattening him before he could manage more than a pained grunt.

"Nighty night!" Aerith teased. Then she looked up at me. "Thanks, Cloud! Be right there!"

I nodded. "On my way."

After I headed back down the ladder, I went back to the gap in the landing to wait for her. And when she got back, she took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and jumped across the hole. She stumbled just a bit as she landed but caught herself before she could fall. Then she gave me a small, shaky grin as we went on.

"Well, that was an adventure, now wasn't it?" she laughed.

"Seems like it," I agreed. Then I motioned to the ladder. "Come on, Aerith. Up here. Might be a way out."

We climbed into the rafters and walked carefully along the wooden beams while Reno fumed below us. I shot him a faint smirk and a little salute while he glared at me and waited for his men to wake up. Aerith noticed and waved cheerfully down at him as we made our way toward the hole in the ceiling where I'd fallen in.

After climbing onto the roof, we sat down to rest for a moment. As we did, Aerith looked down through the hole, an amused smile on her face as she watched Reno and his troops. I didn't think we should stick around too long, but it couldn't hurt to take a quick break. We were out of danger for now, and the soldiers probably wouldn't wake up anytime soon. So I sat down beside her.

Aerith laughed. "Here they go again."

"Again?" I asked. "You mean they've done this before?"

"Yeah," she admitted.

I thought for a moment. "Reno's a Turk. Publicly, their job's to find possible SOLDIER candidates."

"Felt like kidnapping to me," Aerith shivered.

"It was. And they also handle all kinds of other situations as well," I explained. "With extreme prejudice."

The Turks were Shinra's infamous dirty trick squad and their most feared enforcers, extremely dangerous and incredibly lethal when they wanted to be. Utterly ruthless and coldly professional, they held a lot of power and answered only to Shinra's top brass.

She smirked. "Professional bad guys. They've got the look."

"But what do they want you for?" I asked.

"Maybe they think I can make it in SOLDIER," Aerith shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm used to it."

I doubted that was why they were after her, though, and I was sure she knew more than she was letting on. Shinra wanted her for a reason, but why? I remembered Reno had called her an Ancient. What had he meant by that? Who were they? I figured Aerith had the answers, but I wasn't gonna ask her about it. I had enough on my mind already, and if she wanted to tell me, she would.

I stood up. "Could be. Looking to join up?"

"I'm not sure," Aerith said, joining me. "But I _do_ know I don't want those guys to catch me."

"Then let's mosey," I told her.

There were a number of old, abandoned shacks nearby along with piles of junk and scrap metal lining the dirt trail. We jumped carefully off the church and onto the roof of the nearest building, the corrugated metal banging with the impact of our feet as we landed. As we kept on going from one makeshift rooftop to the next, we slowly made our way further into the Sector 5 slums.

* * *

We found Jessie outside the bar, busy polishing the motorcycle she and Cloud had built. She was back in her usual outfit—the blue leotard top, armored vest, black chain shirt, and olive cargo pants—and was so engrossed in her work that she didn't hear us walking up to her. As she hummed contentedly to herself, she carefully and lovingly wiped down the leather and chrome with a soft cloth.

"Jessie…" I murmured.

She let out a little gasp, then laughed as she started to turn around. "Tifa! Sorry, didn't hear you guys walk up. I—"

Her smile froze, then fell off her face when she realized that Cloud wasn't with us. Jessie looked around, frowning in worry and confusion, and at first, I didn't know what to say, how to tell her. Barret just stood there, not meeting her eyes. After a moment, though, I sighed and took her hands as she stared anxiously at me.

"Where's Cloud?" she asked. "Did he stop somewhere on the way? He's gonna catch up soon, right?"

I swallowed. "He's gone, Jessie. He… he fell…"

She stepped away from me, bumping into the bike and shaking her head. "No! Cloud's alive! He has to be!"

"I believe he is," I told her. "I really do, but…"

"But what!?" Jessie demanded.

I grasped her shoulders. "He fell off the plate, Jessie. We destroyed Airbuster, but when it blew, it took out part of the bridge along with it. And Cloud was thrown over the edge."

"He was a SOLDIER," she said, thinking out loud and pacing back and forth. "It's a long fall, but it's possible to survive it if you can find a way to break it or slow yourself down."

"Are you sure about that?" I stared at her.

Jessie nodded. "Yeah. Cloud told me yesterday. Reactor 5… falling from there would put him… Tifa! I think I know where he is! Sector 5! He'd have landed in that part of the slums, I'm sure of it! I know people there, we can ask around about him. I lived over in Sector 5 for about a month when I first left the plate, remember?"

I did, hoping she was right. What she'd said made sense, and if her suspicions were on the mark, we'd have a pretty good chance of finding him and bringing him home. But… there were other things that had to be done before we left. Hard things.

"I do, Jessie," I answered. "It's a good idea."

She took a few quick steps toward the road. "Then let's go! Cloud's out there somewhere, and—"

"Jessie!" Barret snapped. "Inside! Now!"

"But—!" she argued.

His voice was like a whip. "I said, get your ass inside, girl! You got a helluva lotta 'splainin' to do."

Jessie glanced back and forth between us, totally confused. She had no idea yet that we knew about her ties to Shinra. As much as I wanted to hurry to Sector 5 with her and find Cloud, we had to settle this first. Barret stomped into the bar without another word, his tone and broad back speaking volumes to her.

She went to me. "Tifa… did I do something wrong?"

"Let's just go inside," I sighed.

Hesitantly, Jessie followed me into the _Seventh Heaven._ The others were all there, gathered near Barret, their faces downcast and dismayed as we walked over to join them. He must've already told them the news about Cloud. Jessie hung back a little, clasping her hands together, and while I wished I could've comforted her, I was still trying to get a grasp on my own hurt feelings about what she'd done.

"Cloud's alright, isn't he?" Wedge asked. "He's gotta be!"

Biggs nodded. "I'm sure he is. Guy's a SOLDIER. Tough as nails. It sucks that he fell, but he'll be back."

Lena took Wedge's shoulder. "He'll make it, Wedge."

"Yep," Biggs agreed. "Ain't that right, Jessie?"

"Um, yeah…" she said.

Her gaze was on Barret, who was holding Marlene on his shoulder with his good arm. He scowled at her from behind the dark sunglasses he still wore but didn't say anything at first. Biggs blinked, as confused as Wedge and Lena by Barret's actions.

"Boss?" he asked. "Jessie? What's goin' on?"

Barret turned to Lena. "Take Marlene outside, would ya? Gotta do some serious talkin' now, an' it'd be best if she don't hear it. So keep her company out there for a while, awright?"

She gently took Marlene in her arms. "Sure, Barret."

As soon as Lena and Marlene were gone, he stormed over to Jessie. "When the hell was you gonna tell me you was in Shinra, girl!? Ever!? I trusted ya! An' now I find out you been lyin' to me the whole goddamn time! You know how I feel 'bout them bastards!"

Jessie gasped, staggering backward. "What!? How did you—"

"The president told us," I said. "He was there."

"President Shinra?" Biggs gaped.

Barret grimaced. "Hologram, but yeah. It was him awright. Whole damn thing was a setup. Now I see how Jessie knew so much 'bout big boy an' how to take him down."

Wedge blinked. "She gets stuff off Shinra's network, right?"

"Tell 'em, girl," Barret snarled.

Jessie swallowed. "Sometimes, but… I designed this one."

Biggs' mouth fell open. "You serious? But you were an actress back on the plate. Starred in LOVELESS."

"You're right," she said. "I did. But… before that, I…"

"Spit it out!" Barret ordered.

Jessie was trembling now. "I worked for Shinra. Two jobs. One was systems operation. Computer stuff, you know. And the other… was for the Weapons Development Division. I… I designed all kinds of things when I was there. Guns, mechs, bombs…"

Barret fumed. "An' you didn't think to tell us?"

"I…" she began.

"How do I know you wasn't in on Shinra's setup, girl?" he went on. "For all I know, you been workin' for 'em the whole time! Their way of gettin' to us from the inside!"

Jessie shook her head, tears in her eyes. "No! I swear it's not true! I risked my life to get outta that place! I hate Shinra so much and would never hurt you guys! You've gotta believe me!"

"Jus' words!" he snapped. "Why should I believe 'em!? An' how the _fuck_ does the president himself know who you are, Jessie? Time to 'fess up! You wasn't jus' another Shinra worker, was ya? Had to be right near the goddamn top! So who the hell are ya!?"

"Barret, I—" she stammered.

He cut her off with a sweep of his arm. "Get talkin' or get walkin'! I can't have anyone here I can't trust, so either spill it or get your lyin' ass outta here an' don't come back!"

With a choked sob, Jessie rushed over to the hidden elevator, tears streaming down her cheeks, and rode it down to the basement. For just a moment, no one spoke. Biggs and Wedge just stood there, as shocked by Barret's last outburst as I was. And at the thought of it, I grew angry. Jessie might've made some mistakes, but she didn't deserve what Barret had just done to her. Not at all.

I whirled on him. "Barret! What the _hell_ was that!?"

"You heard me," he growled.

"Yeah, I did," I told him. "And it was wrong! It's true she kept some things from us, but you didn't have to rip her apart! For two years, she's always done whatever she can for us without a word of complaint. And this is how you repay her!?"

Barret stomped behind the bar. "She lied to us, Tifa!"

I shook my head. "No! I'm sure it feels that way, but she didn't. She was probably scared something like this might happen if she told us. It does hurt a little that she didn't, but I understand why she did what she did. And I don't blame her."

"Still don't know who she is," he muttered.

"I don't care!" I told him. "Jessie's my friend. That's all that matters. That's all that _ever_ mattered."

Wedge nodded. "Tifa's right, boss. Jessie needs us."

"The hell she does!" Barret grunted.

"No!" he argued, sterner than I'd ever heard him before. "She needs to know we've got her back no matter who or what she used to be. She's always been there for me, and I'm gonna be there for her, too! Nobody in the slums works harder than Jessie does. She's put her life on the line for us over and over again, and we've got her to thank for our water not smelling like rotten eggs. Did you forget that?"

Biggs clapped Wedge on the shoulder. "You said it, buddy! Besides, Cloud was in Shinra, too. But he's one of us now."

Barret snorted. "Least the merc never pretended to be somethin' he ain't. I can give him that much. But I can't say the same for Jessie. I jus' don't know 'bout her anymore."

"Then you never knew her at all," I said.

With that, I went over to the elevator and rode it downstairs while Barret sighed and made himself a drink. He'd be mad for a while, I was sure, but hopefully he'd see reason eventually. The damage had already been done, though. And even Wedge—one of the friendliest and most unassuming guys I'd ever known—had called him out on it and hadn't backed down for a second.

I found Jessie at her desk in the corner. She was crying, stuffing her things into an old cardboard box, her face wet. It had been a long time since I'd seen her so heartbroken. Not since the days when she had first come to us and she'd still been hurting over her first love and what she had lost. No doubt Shinra had been responsible for that, and I realized there was no chance she would've ever helped them.

"Do you… do you want me gone, too, Tifa?" Jessie sniffled.

I shook my head. "No. Come here…"

Hesitantly, she stopped packing and walked over to me. And when she was close enough, I gently took her in my arms and held her tight. Jessie clung to me when she realized what I was doing, and just as she'd done on those quiet nights outside the bar, she cried on my shoulder. It was more than just Barret, though. I knew Cloud's fall had affected her far more than she'd let on. As confident as she'd seemed earlier, she was surely devastated that he hadn't come back.

Once she'd worn herself out, Jessie looked up at me. "Thanks, Tifa. I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys about… where I came from. I just didn't know how. I never meant to mislead you."

"I know," I assured her. "It's alright. I'm not upset with you. I was a little hurt earlier, but not anymore."

"What about Barret?" she wondered.

I smiled. "He'll come around. Don't worry."

Jessie wiped her eyes. "But what if he still wants me to leave? Even if I told him the rest, he might still kick me out."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," I promised.

She hugged me. "Still looking out for me?"

I laughed. "Of course! I'm your big sister, remember?"

"Thought I was yours," she teased.

"How about we do both?" I suggested, smirking. "I'll be yours and you'll be mine. Sound good?"

Jessie nodded. "It does. I think I like that."

"Then that's how it is," I chuckled.

"Yeah. And… thanks for cheering me up," she said. "I appreciate it. I just wish… Cloud was here."

I felt the same way. "So do I, Jessie. So do I."

"Are we still gonna go and look for him?" Jessie asked.

"As soon as we can," I assured her. "You know, at the end, when he was hanging on before he fell, he was thinking of you. Asked me to tell you not to worry, that he'd come back to you."

Jessie blinked back more tears. "Really? He did?"

I slid an arm around her. "Yeah. And when we see him again, we'll give him a good, long lecture!"

"Oh, I'm definitely gonna give him an earful!" she grinned. "Serves him right for scaring me like this. But I'm also gonna hold onto him so tight you'd need a crowbar to pry me off."

I didn't doubt it. "I'm sure you'll get your chance, Jessie."

We both turned when we heard the elevator descending behind us, but it was only Biggs and Wedge. They came over to us right away, and before Jessie knew it, Wedge was smothering her in one of his big bear hugs. He'd always had a wonderfully huge heart, and it was no surprise that Lena had fallen for him. She'd stick by Jessie, too.

Biggs flashed her an encouraging grin. "You're not goin' anywhere, Jessie. 'Fraid your stuck with us."

"Yep! What he said!" Wedge added.

"You guys…" she smiled.

He let go of Jessie and lifted his hand up. "Tri-five?"

Giggling, she nodded and raised her own hand while Biggs did the same. Then, after glancing at each other for a moment, they all slapped their fingers together in a three-way high five. They shared a laugh and then the guys drew Jessie into a group hug, their arms encircling her as hers wrapped snugly around theirs.

The elevator sounded again, and this time it was Lena, her worried gaze getting our attention at once. She didn't have Marlene with her, so she must've given her back to Barret before coming downstairs to find us. She hurried over to me as the others let go of each other and looked at her, as concerned as I was.

"You'd better come upstairs," she said. "You and the others."

I frowned. "Why? What's going on?"

She shivered. "While I was sitting outside with Marlene, I noticed a few guys asking people about Barret. Not by name, but the description they used was unmistakable—a man with a gun-arm."

"What did they look like?" I asked.

"Thugs," she answered. "But not from Vice. These guys were more professional. Snakes in the grass. I don't know who they are, but they're definitely not from around here. Or Sector 5."

Exchanging an uneasy glance with Jessie and the guys, I went with Lena to ride the elevator upstairs while the others waited for their turn. I planned to go outside and see what was going on for myself, but we'd have to make sure Barret stayed inside. If what I was afraid of was true, if these strange thugs were really looking for Avalanche, then we had to keep them from finding out he was here.

* * *

"Hey!" Aerith called, panting. "Don't you… go off… on your own. Wait for me! Slow down…"

I stopped to wait for her so she could catch up. We were still on the rooftops, farther away from her church and closer to town. Although I was pretty sure Reno and his men had left by now, I still wanted to put as much distance between us and them as I could. No doubt he'd show up again sooner or later. Preferably later. He didn't seem the type who'd give up that easily. Turks never did.

I glanced at Aerith. "Thought you were SOLDIER material."

"Oh!" she stuck her tongue out at me as she landed on the slanting, patchwork metal roof. "You are _so_ terrible!"

"Thanks," I smirked.

Aerith giggled, giving my arm a playful punch. "Got a pretty smart mouth on you for a SOLDIER. And the eyes."

I blinked. "You noticed?"

"Yep! That glow's pretty hard to miss."

"It's from the mako," I explained. "SOLDIERs get showered with it. But how'd you know about that?"

Aerith flashed me an innocent smile. "Lucky guess."

I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

Once again, I was sure she knew more than she'd said. There wasn't much I could do about it, though. And her past, as interesting as it may have been, wasn't my business. I had a job to do and a place I needed to go. With luck, I'd be back in Sector 7 before dark. It wasn't very far off, though, so I'd have to hurry. Still, I couldn't help wondering just how a simple flower girl like Aerith knew so much about SOLDIER. I had the feeling it was probably a long story.

"Yep!" she moved past me to the edge of the roof. "Let's go! It's my first time traveling by rooftop."

"I'd have never guessed," I quipped.

There was a long, narrow wooden board spanning the gap between this roof and the next. Aerith went first, holding her arms out to either side as she slowly made her way across. The board creaked beneath her weight but held. I watched her closely, ready to spring out and help her at a moment's notice if I had to.

"Careful," I told her.

She glanced over her shoulder at me. "I'm fine! Not some princess needing to be coddled."

No sooner had she said that, though, than she wobbled and nearly lost her balance. Aerith had gotten about halfway across the beam, and for a moment I thought she was gonna fall. But then she caught herself just in time and got her feet firmly under her again.

"Aerith!" I called.

She winked. "Gotcha!"

I sighed and shook my head as I saw how she'd tricked me. "You're killing me, you know that?"

"Just having a little fun," Aerith teased.

"I can see that," I said. "Never a dull moment with you."

She hopped off the board and onto the next roof. "Awww, was that a compliment, Cloud?"

"Not really," I shrugged.

"Well, thanks anyway," Aerith said. "Shouldn't be much further 'till we can get down to the road."

I made it over to the next roof easily, the board creaking even more this time but not breaking, and then we moved on. We crossed several old, rusted pipes on our way to the top of another abandoned shack as the plate loomed ominously overhead. As the day wore on, Aerith and I kept making our way from one rooftop to another.

Eventually, we came to the side of one of the dilapidated buildings and a rickety wooden ladder leading to the ground. Stretching my arm out in front of Aerith, I motioned for her to wait. Then I climbed down first, taking each rung as carefully as I could.

Finally, I reached the ground. "Okay, Aerith. Your turn."

"On my way!" she waved.

"Easy now," I told her as she began her descent.

Aerith huffed. "What'd I tell you before? I'm not some fairy tale girl that needs rescuing all the time. I—"

Suddenly, the rung below her feet splintered and snapped, and the rest of the ladder underneath her fell apart. Aerith held onto the upper half as tight as she could, her legs dangling about twenty feet in the air. She obviously wasn't messing around now.

"Shit!" she gasped.

My eyes widened. "Aerith!"

"Uh, Cloud?" she asked, straining to hold on.

I looked up at her. "Yeah?"

She swallowed nervously. "Catch!"

Suddenly, the rest of the ladder broke apart, and Aerith was falling. I reached up and caught her as the broken pieces tumbled past us onto the dirt, and after we had caught our breath for a moment, I gently put her down. She stood next to me, a sheepish grin on her face as I sighed and did my best not to be annoyed with her.

"Thanks, Cloud," Aerith said.

I nodded. "Sure."

She brushed herself off. "Not gonna say 'I told you so'?"

I started walking. "Don't need to."

"Well, that's good to know," Aerith chuckled as she fell in alongside me. "Let's see… town's this way, and so's my home. Better hurry before Reno finds us. Station's over here, too."

I'd thought as much. "Right. And Aerith?"

"Yeah?" she asked.

"I _did_ tell you," I smirked.


	33. THIRTY-TWO

## THIRTY-TWO

The mysterious thugs Lena had told me about were standing in the main street in front of the _Seventh Heaven,_ and my blood boiled when I saw who they were talking to. I wasn't surprised, though. She'd always been trouble. I only wished I'd kept a closer eye on her. A loose mouth could do a lot of damage, after all, and hers was the worst I'd ever seen. I narrowed my eyes as I walked down the stairs.

"Derla…" I muttered.

She stood there, gabbing with three men in sleeveless black leather vests over their bare chests and dark red pants on their legs. Sewn into the back of each vest was the image of a red dragon curled into a circle. I didn't recognize it at all. The tallest of the men, his straight black hair pulled back into a short, curled tail, looked at Derla with dark, icy eyes as she talked, and what she said infuriated me.

"Yeah, I know the guy you're talking about," she nodded. "The one with the gun on his arm. That's Barret. He and his friends, they're tight as can be. Not very nice people at all, though."

"That so?" the lead thug said.

Jessie joined me as Derla kept prattling. "What's going on?"

I glanced at her. "Our local gossip's getting herself in over her head. We'd better stop her before she blows our cover."

She nodded, following me as I hurried across the front yard toward the road. The others were all inside, and Barret didn't know about what was going on—Lena hadn't told him, and she and the guys were doing what they could to keep him and Marlene occupied. I wasn't surprised Jessie had come outside to be with me, though. She probably didn't feel too comfortable around Barret right now.

Derla went on. "Oh, yes! It sure is! I could tell you—"

"Know where this guy is?" the thug asked.

"Right over there!" she pointed at the bar _._ "They all hang out at the _Seventh Heaven_ every day! Sometimes they'll throw out the customers so they can have the place to themselves. And it smells like gunpowder in there all the time. They're up to something, I—"

"Derla!" I snapped. "That's enough!"

Jessie gasped as she took another look at the thugs. "Tifa! I think I know who these guys are! I've seen—"

"What?" I stared at her.

The lead thug sneered at her. "Then you oughta know not to cross us. Unless you got some kinda death wish."

Jessie narrowed her eyes. "Try me."

"Must wanna die pretty bad, girl," he flexed his fist.

"I've kicked your boss's ass before," she shot back. "I can do it again if I have to. And I'm _not_ in a good mood right now."

Derla put her hands on her hips. "Tifa! Jessie! I heard you all went up to the plate again today. Did you know about the reactor bombing? That's two now! I bet Shinra's gonna come down hard on Avalanche as soon as they find out where they're hiding."

"Shut up!" I told her. "Now!"

"That's just _so_ rude!" Derla huffed.

The lead thug stuffed a large stack of gil into her hand. "Thanks for the tip. Now get lost."

Derla took it and ran off before Jessie and I could stop her. I'd have to deal with her later. And I would. But right now, we had more serious things to worry about. The trio of thugs, especially the leader, grinned coolly at Jessie and I, sizing us up.

"What you are staring at?" I frowned.

He leered at us. "Boss'd like the two of you. He's lookin' for a bride, and you ladies'd be perfect candidates. An' if he doesn't like ya, he'll let us have ya. He's generous like that."

I shuddered, utterly disgusted. "Not interested."

"Been there, done that!" Jessie stated, her eyes locked on the thug's. "And I'm not up for a repeat."

"Jessie?" I stared at her, my mouth open.

She shook her head. "I'll explain later, I promise."

The lead thug snapped his fingers, and two more goons joined him just seconds later. They'd been interrogating passersby on the street, no doubt looking for Barret and Avalanche. The five men slowly closed in around us, laughing amongst themselves while nervous onlookers gave us and the bar a wide berth.

"We ain't takin' no for an answer," Black Tail said.

I brought up my fists. "We're not going."

He snickered. "Guess that means we do this the hard way. You'll be comin' with us, like it or not."

"Jessie!" I called. "You ready?"

She already had her own fists up. "You know it!"

Back to back, we braced ourselves as the mysterious thugs came at us from all sides. There was no way out of this fight, but I didn't mind. I knew Jessie and I could handle it, and when it was over, we'd get some answers. Of course, we'd have to give them a good thrashing first to get them to talk. I smirked, more than ready to deliver.

* * *

The station was crowded when Aerith and I got there, and it didn't take long for us to figure out why. From here, we could look up and see what was left of Reactor 5, and murmurs and conversation filled the air around us. A train attendant in a dark red uniform stood at one end of the platform and repeated his announcement.

"All trains are delayed until further notice," he said. "Because of the incident on the plate, Midgar Lines has temporarily suspended service into and out of Sector 5. Thank you for your patience."

People in the crowd muttered to themselves, no doubt upset about what was going on. I'd hoped that I'd be able to catch a train and ride it over to Sector 7, but now it looked like finding my way there was going to be harder than I'd originally thought. I didn't like the extra time this was going to cost me, either.

I sighed. "So much for getting home the easy way."

"You weren't planning to leave me high and dry, were you?" Aerith quipped. "I _did_ hire you as my bodyguard, after all."

I shook my head. "Of course not."

She smiled. "Good! And don't worry, I know other ways out of this place. We'll talk more about it after you get me home. And just wait 'till you have my mom's cooking! You'll love it!"

"Don't have time," I said. "I really need to get back."

"Not on an empty stomach, you don't!" Aerith insisted. "Call it part of your fee if you want."

She leaned toward me, hands on her hips as she smirked impishly, her green eyes sparkling, and I knew she wasn't going to let up on this. And as much as hated to admit it, I _was_ getting a little hungry. The day was almost over, and soon it would be dark. Might not be a bad idea to get something to eat before I went back to Sector 7.

"Fine," I said. "As long as it's quick."

Aerith grinned. "I'll make sure it is, Cloud! Now let's go!"

Before we had taken more than a few steps, though, the sound of a helicopter descending drew our attention. We looked up to see it right overhead and flying to a nearby launchpad. The chopper was gray with the Shinra logo on the side. Aerith and I moved to the chain link fence across from the train station to watch it land.

When it did, the side door slid open, and my eyes narrowed. It was another Turk. This one was bald, with a dark blue suit, a purple button down shirt, a black tie, and matching leather gloves. He also wore a few earrings in each ear, and his thin black beard was neatly trimmed. The man's eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses as he gazed at the slums in cold, menacing silence.

"Another Turk," I grimaced.

Aerith didn't seem surprised. "Yep. A man on a mission."

I glanced at her. "On the hunt, more like. Didn't know you were so popular. Sure you don't have idea what they want?"

"Nope!" she winked. "Not a clue."

I knew she was holding back, though. Had to be. Not just one, but two Turks were after her now. Aerith had to have some idea why. But it wasn't my business. All I had to do was take her home and that'd be the end of it. Then I could be out of here and back to Sector 7. I didn't like being away from the others like this, especially Jessie. I needed to know everyone was alright. Her most of all.

"You know a back way to your place?" I asked.

Aerith nodded. "Of course! Follow me! We'll cut through a Shinra dump site. There'll be monsters, though."

Heading past the train station, we went on until we got to a fork in the road. Aerith led me to the right, and soon we found ourselves in an old scrapyard filled with junk and more abandoned shacks. There were also a handful of round, red bouncing things with spikes on their backs and huge mouths full of sharp teeth.

"Hedgehog pies," Aerith explained. "These little buggers are pretty common around here."

I drew Buster. "I've fought scarier things in my sleep."

She readied her staff. "Is that so? Guess I shouldn't ask what kinda dreams you have, then."

"You don't wanna know," I told her.

There were about three or four of the monsters, and they swarmed toward us as soon as we got in range. I took one down with a few quick slashes while Aerith toasted another with a burst of fire magic from the materia embedded in her staff.

She laughed. "Not bad, eh? Good teamwork!"

"Might wanna hang back, though," I told her. "Monsters like these tend to go for the weaker prey first."

"Then you'd better watch out, Cloud," Aerith teased.

We took down the rest of the hedgehog pies without any trouble, a bright blast of flame and a sweeping backhand slice making short work of them. Aerith seemed to be pretty good with those spells of hers, and I could tell it wasn't her first time in a fight.

I looked at her as we went on. "Guess you've done this before."

"A bit," she admitted. "I grew up down here."

After several minutes and another battle with more hedgehog pies, we left the scrapyard behind and made our way into town. Like Sector 7, it was a collection of ramshackle buildings of scrap metal and wood, with a few here and there made of sturdier materials. A maze of small, narrow streets converged on the main plaza just ahead of us, where we saw a small crowd gathered around a huge outdoor TV.

"What're they watching?" Aerith asked.

I frowned. "Looks like a news report. Something about the reactor. We'd better go take a look."

She nodded. "Yeah, let's check it out."

On the screen, a news reporter was standing outside the blackened husk of Reactor 5. It was still largely intact but heavily damaged. As the camera swung around for a moment to give a brief view of the interior complex, I saw the broken ruins of the catwalk still smoldering. Then it went back to the reporter.

"I'm standing just outside the gutted shell of Reactor 5," she stated. "As you've just seen, it would've been impossible to walk over here due to the extensive damage to the bridge. Entire sections are gone, and we had to be brought over here by helicopter to bring you this live footage. Fortunately, the fires appear to have been extinguished."

"Looks terrible," Aerith murmured.

I couldn't argue. "It was."

She looked curiously at me for a minute but didn't say anything as I continued to watch what was going on. The reporter was going inside what was left of the reactor now, talking about how all the damage was making it harder for the rescue efforts. I knew, of course, how much of a load of crap that was—there hadn't been civilians in the reactor, only bloodhounds, Shinra troops, and roboguards.

"Oh, over there!" the reporter pointed excitedly. "That's Scarlet, the director of Shinra's Weapons Development Division. Let's see if we can get her to answer a few questions."

Ahead of her was a woman in a tight-fitting red dress with slits on either side of the long skirt. It was sleeveless, trimmed in black, and cut very low. Scarlet also wore matching heels and black stockings, and her blond hair was pulled into a short tuft in the back and swept to her left, where her long bangs hung down to her shoulder.

The reporter caught up to her. "Excuse me! May I—?"

"Move," Scarlet ordered.

"What's the status of the reactor?" the reporter asked. "How much damage did it suffer? Are we in any danger?"

Scarlet glared daggers as the camera focused on her. "Reactor 5 has been shut down temporarily, and all the fires have been put out. Shinra has this situation well in hand, and we are in the process of conducting a thorough investigation. We suspect the device used was similar to the one used to destroy Reactor 1."

The reporter went on. "Do you know who's behind it?"

"We have a very good idea," Scarlet smirked.

I sighed in frustration as the screen changed to show footage of the five of us—me, Barret, Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge—making our escape to Sector 8 through the 1-8 tunnel after Reactor 1 had gone up. Looked as if they'd been onto us right from the start just like President Shinra had said. They must've had cameras everywhere.

Scarlet's voice spoke over the surveillance footage. "As you can see, the perpetrators of these attacks were filmed while escaping from their cowardly act of destruction against Reactor 1. They are members of the eco-terrorist group Avalanche, and we believe they may be hiding here in Midgar somewhere, perhaps in the slums."

"Will Shinra be able to stop them?" the reporter asked.

"What do _you_ think?" Scarlet challenged her as the picture showed her again. "We _will_ keep Midgar safe."

With that, Scarlet strode right into the cameraman's face. Then the picture shook for a moment and there was a sudden, muffled groan as she drove her knee into his stomach before walking away. I flinched as I watched it all. And Jessie had worked for her, been her assistant? That couldn't have been easy. She must've had nerves of steel, dealing with a woman like that day after day for years.

Aerith glanced cautiously at me. "That was you on there, wasn't it? I saw the footage they showed. Another job?"

"You could say that," I said.

"Did it really happen like they said?" she wondered.

I kept my voice low as we moved through the streets. "Our mission wasn't supposed to do what it did. We were only trying to shut it down, not destroy it. Shinra took care of the rest."

"To blame it on you," she said.

"Right," I agreed. "Dunno what they're after, though. But I've gotta get back home as soon as I can."

We kept going, brushing past homes and shops until we came to a massive pipe lying flat on its side next to the road and large enough for someone to walk into. Aerith motioned for me to stop for a moment as we approached it. There was a sign next to it, the letters scrawled onto a wide piece of metal in bright, spray-painted letters.

"This guy are sick," she read. "Wait a minute… that's not right."

I folded my arms in front of me. "No kidding."

Aerith chuckled. "Well, you can't expect everyone down here in the slums to have a good education, you know."

"True enough," I said. "Any idea what happened?"

"I heard a guy collapsed in the street the other day not too far from here. Looks like someone helped him get home. Let's go check on him, Cloud. It'll only take a minute."

She ducked inside without waiting for me to answer, so all I could do was sigh and follow her. The man was in there, sitting on an old mat that must've been his bed. It was a simple place, with a small dresser off to one side, a lamp, and few other things scattered around. Jessie's little house in Sector 7 with its one room, kitchen corner, and curtained-off bathroom alcove was bigger than this. Her place might not have been a fancy one, but it was cozy, and I missed it.

The guy sat, slightly bent over, staring ahead of him at nothing. He didn't react at all when we came inside. The only sounds he made were incoherent murmurs as he gazed past us with dark, glassy eyes. He was practically catatonic. What was wrong with him?

"Marco?" Aerith whispered.

He didn't respond. I grimaced. "You know him?"

She nodded. "Just in passing, really. I'd see him sometimes when I'd be walking through town. He was never like this before, though. It had to have happened recently, whatever it was."

"Looks a bit pale," I noted.

Aerith glanced at him. "You're right. Can you help?"

I shook my head. "Me? No. I'm a merc, Aerith. Not a doctor."

"I suppose you're right," she sighed.

"Sorry," I said. "Just isn't my field of expertise."

Aerith gave me a small smile. "True. You're better at smashing stuff into little pieces, aren't you?"

"Something like that," I agreed.

She took another look at Marco. "Strange… he's got a tattoo. Didn't know he had one. You see it, Cloud? It's a 2."

I did. The left sleeve of his shirt had gotten torn open near the top, most likely when he'd fallen, and on the side of his shoulder was a large digit imprinted into his skin almost like a brand—the number 2. What did it mean? Where had he gotten it, and why?

"Yeah," I answered. "Not sure he got it willingly, though."

Aerith led me outside. "You're probably right. But there isn't much we can do for him right now."

We moved on, and near the edge of town, we a spotted a boy about ten years old standing on a rooftop. He had brown eyes and sandy hair and waved at us. Aerith smiled, waving back at him as she walked over, and I followed just a little behind her.

"Aerith!" the kid called.

She smirked. "Hi, Oates! What are you doing up there?"

Oates pointed upward toward the plate. "Trying to get a good look at the reactor. So who's this guy?"

"This is Cloud," Aerith said, putting her hand on my shoulder. "My bodyguard, at least for now. And a mercenary. Cloud, that's Oates. He's a friend. Lots of kids live around here."

"Later!" he said, hopping down and running away.

Aerith giggled. "Sorry about that. He's a little wary with grownups. Well, most of them. He does make a few exceptions from time to time, though. Like me. And a friend of mine a while back, too. She took on a hell house all by herself to save him and a little girl. Almost got herself killed doing it, but I got her fixed up."

I stared at her. "Did you say a hell house?"

"Yeah," she nodded as we started walking again. "Ever fought them before? They can be tough."

"I have, once," I answered.

Aerith laughed. "Figured. I'm guessing you thrashed it."

"Pretty much," I said. "Me and a friend."

I remembered well enough how Jessie and I had taken on that hell house together near the eaters' nest so many weeks ago. Seemed almost like another lifetime now. She'd known it was there before I'd even seen it, and I was starting to understand a little better now why she'd gotten so angry at the end and had nearly lost it.

After passing an orphanage that Aerith had called the Leaf House, we left the main part of the settlement behind and headed down a long and narrow trail that curved off to the right. As we went, she told me a little about the orphanage and how she'd often bring flowers over there. I'd noticed them but didn't have a clue where she got them all. Couldn't have been just from the church, though.

I got my answer a moment later when I saw her house.

The low hill leading up to her home was covered in them, all kinds and colors as they grew along the rocky bluffs amidst tufts of tall grass. Wooden bridges led across a few small streams of water, and the house stood in the back corner of the area. The plate loomed overhead like it did everywhere in the slums, but it felt more distant here, farther away somehow. I found myself liking this place.

Aerith's house was an actual house, not another shack. It was made out of wood that had been carefully cut and had six sides, with a patio, a shingled roof, and a second floor balcony. Flowerpots hung from the sides of the patio, and a smooth cobblestone path wound up the hill to the front door as an actual waterfall spilled down the side of the nearby cliff and into the stream. I _had_ to tell Jessie and Tifa about it after I got back home to Sector 7. They'd definitely love it.

"Wow…" I said.

Aerith smiled. "Thanks! So… what'd you do with that flower I sold you? Did you give it away?"

I looked away. "Uh, yeah. I did."

"Oh!" she squealed. "Who'd you give it to? Tell me!"

"Don't remember," I said.

Aerith wasn't buying it, though. "Oh, I'm sure you do. Probably let some cute girl have it, didn't you?"

"I, uh…" I began.

"A little embarrassed, are we?" she teased.

I shrugged. "Let's just move on."

"Well, okay," Aerith agreed. "Mom should be home now, so we'll go inside and I'll introduce you."

But before we could move, we suddenly heard footsteps behind us. And I knew who it was right away, before Aerith and I had even turned around. The bald Turk. He eyed us warily as we faced him. I wasn't too surprised he'd found us. Wasn't about to let him have Aerith, though. It was my job, and she was my friend. I didn't go for Buster just yet, but I kept a watchful eye on him just the same.

"Hello, Aerith," he said.

* * *

I spun aside as Black Tail lunged toward me, fists raised, and drove my own into one of the goons alongside him before driving another of them backwards with a quick thrust kick to the gut. In the meantime, I saw Jessie out of the corner of my eye. She was holding her own against the last two thugs, blocking their attacks just like I'd taught her. Then, a second later, she countered with a rush of rapid punches followed by a spinning roundhouse kick to the chest.

Two down, three to go. Another thug took a swing at me, and I let him get a glancing blow on me to lure him in. Seeing me bend over, he took the bait, overextending himself as he punched at me again, and as soon as he did, I ducked under the arc of his swing and hammered his side with a flurry of jabs before knocking him off his feet with a sweep kick. When he tried to get up, I drove my heel into his stomach before springing back up to a standing position.

"Stay down!" I told him.

Jessie laughed as he did. "I think you got him!"

I grinned. "Still three more, Jessie. Looks like we've each got one so far. You up for a little competition?"

"Oh, you bet!" she shot back, blocking another punch.

"Then let's see who can take out more of these guys," I said as I hit Black Tail with a right cross.

Jessie backhanded another thug. "You're on!"

As one of the goons came at me again, I sidestepped, grabbed him by the shoulder, and spun him into a throw that left him laying flat on his back in the dirt. He snarled and got up as I shrugged off a hit to my shoulder from Black Tail, and as soon as he did, I slammed my fist into his chest with a single focused strike. And this time, when he flew onto the ground, he stayed there.

"Another for me!" I raised a finger. "That's two!"

Jessie smirked. "We're not done yet!"

As if to prove her point, she spun aside as the thug she was fighting threw a rapid string of punches at her, then she slammed her steel-toed boot right into his back. He stumbled forward but stayed on his feet as I kept trading blows with Black Tail. Jessie moved fast, rushing right at the thug and launching herself into an aerial spin kick just as he turned around. She greeted him with a foot to the face.

"Nice one!" I complimented her.

Jessie joined me against Black Tail as the other thug collapsed with a groan. "Thanks! Looks like we're tied, Tifa!"

I winked. "Not for long!"

We both went for Black Tail, me from one side and Jessie from the other. He wasn't bad, keeping us both at bay at first as he got a few hits in on us. Nothing serious, though, or enough to slow us down. And as he realized that, he grew more desperate and his swings got wilder and less controlled, giving us all the openings we needed.

I struck Black Tail in the back with a diving kick, and he staggered, snarling like an angry dog as he lunged at Jessie, fists flying. She simply winked at him, then dropped down and smashed him in the groin with her splits punch, the same one she'd used against me last week when we had been sparring together.

While he was still doubled over, Jessie shot to her feet, took him by the arms, and spun him towards me. I stepped back and swung my fist out in front of him just as he got close enough, striking him across the chest with a swift backhand punch that dropped him like a rock. For a moment, I just stood there, my arm still stretched out and my fist tight, blood and adrenaline flowing through me.

"Got him!" Jessie cheered.

I finally relaxed. "Yeah! We sure did!"

She chuckled. "I guess you win, Tifa. You finished him off."

"How about we just call it a tie instead?" I smiled. "You set him up for me. Did really good, Jessie."

"Awesome!" she lifted her hand. "Glad to help!"

I gave her a high five. "Pretty good workout, wasn't it?"

Jessie nodded. "Yeah. Just what I needed, actually. Guess we oughta see about getting some answers, though."

"Right," I agreed.

We walked over to where Black Tail was still laying sprawled across the dirt. He blinked and groaned as he saw us coming but didn't try to strike at us again. All the fight had left him once we'd flattened him and his pals. Now it was time for him to talk.

I knelt down and grabbed his collar. "Who sent you?"

"Think you got us, bitch?" he sneered. "Still don't know who you're dealin' with. We didn't come to this shithole alone, and I can have a lot more men here in just ten seconds. You ain't—"

"Wanna know what I can do to you in ten seconds? In ten seconds, I can cripple you for life. In ten seconds, I can leave you as nothing but a bloody pulp having to suck all your meals through a straw! So what's it gonna be? Feel like talking now?"

His eyes widened. "Okay, okay! It was Don Corneo!"

"I was afraid of that," Jessie murmured.

"What's he after?" I asked Black Tail, tightening my grip. "Why's he looking for a man with a gun on his arm?"

He shook his head. "I dunno. He didn't tell us."

"You're sure?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah, 'course I'm sure!" Black Tail grimaced. "Boss just wanted us to find out where he's hidin'. And that's all I know."

I nodded. "Then get lost. All of you."

He and the rest of his thugs slowly got up and ran off, several more joining them further up the street as they went. As Jessie and I watched them go, I felt uneasy. We had to find out why Corneo was looking for us. But how? I was just following Jessie back to the bar when I stopped, an idea coming to me. It was dangerous, but I knew it was the only way we'd be able to find out the truth.

"Jessie," I said as we went inside. "I think I have a plan."


	34. THIRTY-THREE

## THIRTY-THREE

"What do you want, Rude?" Aerith asked.

He didn't answer at first but looked over at me instead. "You're new here, aren't you? Her latest boyfriend?"

Aerith frowned. "My bodyguard, if you must know."

"If you say so," he said.

"She does," I glared at him. "And I am."

Rude scratched his chin. "Wait a minute… you're the one that took down Reno's men and gave him the slip."

"And if I am?" I asked.

"Just making sure," he said. "Gotta finish what he started."

Aerith touched my arm. "Leave him alone, Cloud. Rude might be a Turk, but he's not actually a bad person."

"You serious?" I glanced at her.

Rude nodded. "I'm not bad. But there are times when I've gotta do bad things. It's nothing personal. Just my job."

I drew Buster. "All bark. No bite. Just like a Turk."

"Speak for yourself," Rude countered.

With that, he launched himself at us, fists raised. I stepped in front of Aerith and brought up my sword just in time to block, then spun to the left and backhanded him with the flat of the blade while she seared him with a touch of fire. He retaliated quickly, though, getting in a few punches to my side before I could get out of reach.

I took the blows, then smacked Rude again with Buster on the side of the face as Aerith struck him with a sudden burst of magical energy, flower petals floating in the air around her. Rude shook off our attacks, though, kicked my sword right out of my hands, and grabbed my arms. Then he spun me around and threw me into Aerith. We collided with a muffled thump and fell to the ground.

Aerith got up first, blasting Rude with more fire. In the meantime, I rolled to the side, grabbed my sword from where it lay on the ground, and smacked the side of the blade into his stomach. He staggered a few steps backward and groaned. Although I probably could've killed him, I knew Aerith wouldn't want that. I wasn't sure what it was between her and the Turks, but I decided I'd do as she asked and just beat Rude up a bit instead, enough to drive him off.

"Thought you didn't wanna play rough," he told Aerith.

She narrowed her eyes. "Just self-defense."

He grunted and came at us again, trying to grapple with me. But I was faster, ducking under his reaching arms and jamming the butt end of Buster's hilt into his stomach, then following it up with a left hook to his jaw that would've made Tifa proud. I took a few punches from him in return, but doing that allowed me to give Aerith enough time to get into position so she could hit him with another quick surge of magical energy. Rude sank to his knees under the impact.

And so it went for another minute or so as Rude and I kept trading blows, and I noticed that as we fought, he focused his attacks on me for the most part and wouldn't actually do much to Aerith. He tried to put her to sleep at one point with a vial filled with some sort of gas, but she hopped away just as he sprayed it at her. Then I shoved him back to the ground before he could do anything else.

"Just leave us alone, Rude," Aerith said. "Please."

He stood up again. "Can't. It's my job."

My eyes narrowed. "You heard her. It's over."

Rude started to reply, but then his phone rang. Keeping his gaze on us, he pulled it out and answered. "Yeah?"

"I know you're havin' fun over there, partner," I heard Reno's voice on the other end. "But we've got new orders. Boss needs us on standby for another job. Something about Sector 7."

I stiffened. Sector 7? A new job? What was going on? I didn't like it at all, and I wanted to get back there now more than ever. At least I'd be finished here soon enough. Then I'd be free to go. I liked Aerith, but it was well past time I made my way home, especially if Shinra was intent on causing the kind of trouble over there that I was afraid they would. I still remembered the dreams all too well.

"Understood," Rude answered.

"Then get your ass back here now," Reno said. "We'll be liftin' off as soon as the boss gives us the green light."

Rude nodded. "On my way."

Aerith frowned as he hung up. "Going somewhere?"

"Seems like it," he answered. "Now go home and stay inside. It'll be safer there. Don't go anywhere else."

"I can't do that," she said.

I called after Rude as he started to walk away. "What's your mission in Sector 7? I heard what Reno told you."

"Classified," he said.

Then he was gone, hurrying down the trail and out of sight before I could press him any further about it. I'd have been more than willing to beat it out of him if I had to, but that wasn't an option now. Anyway, as I shouldered Buster, I knew what I had to do. And that Aerith wasn't gonna like it. But there was nothing for it.

I turned to her. "There's your house. Job's over."

"What!?" Aerith said, her hands flying to her hips. "But we haven't gone inside yet! I promised you dinner before you left."

"I know, but I have to go," I explained.

She took my wrist and started pulling me toward the door. "Oh, no you don't! I'm gonna at least introduce you to my mom. We don't have to stay long. Just come in for a minute. Please?"

I sighed. "Fine. But _only_ for a minute. Clock's ticking."

Giggling, Aerith led me to the front door. Hopefully, this wouldn't take long and I'd be in and out. Rude had been right about one thing, at least. If things were gonna be dangerous, it'd be better for Aerith to stay home where it was safe no matter how much she'd complain. And I was sure she would. But I'd rather she do that than go with me and wind up getting hurt or maybe even worse.

Taking a breath, I followed Aerith into her house.

* * *

"You outta your goddamn mind!?" Barret demanded.

I'd have liked to have said no, but I couldn't deny that my plan _was_ a little crazy. Black Tail had unwittingly given me the idea for it. I only hoped I wasn't making a mistake. But we needed to know why Corneo was trying to find us, and there was only one way for us to find out for sure—I'd have to go and ask him myself. And to do that, I was going to have to become just what he was looking for.

I swallowed. "I know how it sounds, but it'll work."

Biggs frowned. "Seems way too damn risky to me, Tif. What if you get caught? And how are you gonna get out?"

"I'll be fine," I said. "Jessie, you did this before, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Not a pleasant experience, let me tell ya. Didn't know he was still at it, but I'm not surprised."

"What happened?" Wedge asked.

"It was just before I first came to Sector 7," Jessie explained. "I went to Wall Market to hitch a ride on one of the chocobo carriages. But the delivery service had just been closed down."

Biggs leaned against one of the tables. "Why's that?"

She went on. "Don Corneo had gotten mad at Chocobo Sam—he's the guy that runs the delivery service—because he hadn't liked the last few girls Sam had sent him. So as punishment, he took away the key to the gate leading into Sector 7 from Sector 6."

"That's the one at Evergreen Park," I remembered.

"Right. Anyway, I happened to overhear their conversation when I got there, and after Corneo had left, I asked Sam if he'd let me steal the gate key back for him. And in exchange, he'd give me a ride to Sector 7 for free. So that was our agreement."

Wedge stared at her in awe. "Did you get it?"

"Yeah," Jessie chuckled. "Wasn't easy, though. I posed as a potential bride for Corneo, got a whole makeover and everything so I'd look the part. And once he had me alone in his bedroom, I swiped the key from him, using one my raspberries to motivate him. He handed it over nice and quick once I pulled out the pin."

"So how'd you escape, Jessie?" Biggs asked.

She smirked. "He tried to trap me—he's got this hidden chute up at the front of his bed. I saw the seams when I went in and jumped out of the way right when he opened it. That really pissed him off, but not as much as when I tossed that raspberry into the chute. Gave the monster he keeps down there a nasty burn. Then I ran as fast I could outta that terrible place and never looked back."

Wedge grinned. "That was awesome!"

"Sounds like you gave that twisted creep exactly what he deserved," Lena added. "Good for you, Jessie!"

"Thanks, guys," she smiled. "It wasn't much."

I laid a hand on her shoulder as I sat with her. "Still, it took a lot of courage to do what you did, Jessie."

She blushed. "You really think so?"

Biggs flashed her a thumbs up. "You bet!"

"Isn't that right, Barret?" I went on, glaring at him.

He just grunted, his arms folded in front of him, and scowled. Still mad at her. I sighed but decided not to push the issue, at least for now. I was definitely going to have a word with him before I left, though. He needed to sort this out, and we didn't have a lot of time. And with that thought in mind, I laid out my plan.

"I'll deal with you later," I told him. "Anyway, I'm going to pose as a bridal candidate for Corneo. That way I can get close enough to him to get some answers. Then I'll get out and get back here as soon as I can. I know it's a risk, but it's all we've got."

"When are you gonna go?" Wedge asked.

I glanced at him. "Tonight. We've gotta find out what's going on as soon as possible. It's almost dark now, so that means I've only got a few hours to get ready and get over there."

Biggs scratched his chin. "Anything we can do to help?"

"I appreciate the offer, Biggs, but this isn't something you or Wedge can really help me with. Girl stuff, you know. Speaking of which, you're heading back home soon, aren't you, Lena?"

"Yeah, in just a bit," she said.

I'd thought so. "Good. Think you could stop by Wall Market on the way to Sector 5? I need you to find Chocobo Sam, the guy Jessie told us about. The one that sends girls to Corneo."

"Sure, not a problem," Lena agreed. "Then what?"

"Jessie can tell you what he looks like and where he's at. I want you to tell him about me, that I want in on tonight's audition. And give him a photo of me—I'll have one ready for you by the time you leave. Make sure he agrees to put me in, okay? Then, once he does, tell him to send a carriage to pick me up in time for the audition."

She nodded. "Will do, Tifa."

"You'll need a letter of recommendation," Jessie told me. "Sam can give that to you once you get there, though. Audition's at midnight. Oh, and you can trust the guy at the door. Leslie. He helped me escape. He works with Sam and two others as their eyes on the inside of the Don's mansion. I don't know what his story is, though."

"Thanks, Jessie," I smiled at her. "In the meantime, it looks like I'm gonna need to do some shopping—I need a dress. But I don't know too much about glamour and makeup and wearing things like that. I think you do, though, Jessie. From when you were an actress. So can you give me a hand and help me get ready?"

She grinned. "You bet! I did get a few makeovers in those days, but I've never actually given one before. This is gonna be fun! I'll turn you into a total bombshell, Tifa. Just leave it to me!"

I'd known she'd be up for it, and it would give her something to do to take her mind off her own problems for a while. Besides, it was true I didn't have much experience with dresses and things like that—I was a fighter and a bartender, not some high class girl in heels. Kicking ass and mixing drinks were my specialties.

Jessie did know about that lifestyle, though, and I wanted her help for more than just my plan. I thought it was important that, after what she'd just gone through, she was able to feel like she was still part of the team and that we still needed her. And being able to contribute to what I was doing to help us and our cause would do just that. I saw from her grateful smile that she knew it, too.

"I think that's about it, then," I said. Then I remembered. "Oh, now that you mention it, there _is_ something you can do, Biggs. I still need a picture for Sam. Think you can take one for me?"

"Sure thing!" he said.

I laughed. "Great! Just be sure to get my good side, okay?"

He winked. "Which one? They're all good."

"Thanks," I replied, feeling my cheeks turning a little pink. "Um… just do whatever you think's best."

With that, I stood up. The meeting was over, and it was time to get to work. Barret just took Marlene, stomped over to the hidden lift, and rode it downstairs to the basement. I figured it would probably be best to let him blow off some steam for a while.

Lena handed Biggs her phone, and we stepped outside so he could take my picture. I thought the glow from the porch lights would give it a better look. So I stood there and posed for him, turning first one way and then another as he directed me and took some shots. It really was a lot of fun, and I didn't have to try hard to smile. I just thought of Biggs and the butterflies floating in my stomach.

As we continued my little photo shoot, I nearly forgot why we were even doing it. It was nice just be able to do something fun together. But all too soon, it was over, and we had all the photos we needed. We went through them one by one as we walked back into the bar and sat at one of the tables, and I found my eyes drifting over to his every so often as my heart hammered against my chest.

Once we'd picked out a few of the best, Biggs showed them to Lena before giving the phone back to her. Then it was time for her to go and get this whole thing started. I swallowed, a little nervous as Biggs and I watched her make her way down the road after she'd said her goodbyes to Wedge, Barret, and Marlene.

"Well," I said. "No turning back now."

Biggs nodded as he stood by the window with me. "Yeah. You'll do fine. Still gonna worry about ya, though."

I chuckled. "Worst-casing it over me? How sweet."

"Well, uh…, thanks," he stammered. "I just don't want anything to happen to ya, that's all. Speaking of which, what if this Sam won't agree to let you in? Not that think that'll happen—he'd have to be an idiot to pass you up—but, uh… best to have a backup plan, right? Or two. Am I rambling now? And have you thought about how you're gonna escape once you find out what Corneo's after?"

"Relax," I patted his arm. "Everything'll be fine."

He glanced at me. "You sure?"

I sighed. "I hope so."

"Maybe Jessie should go with you," he suggested. "She's been there before, after all. And you wouldn't be alone."

I shook my head. "No, she can't do that. It's too risky."

Biggs frowned. "Why? She'd be a big help."

"I'm sure she would, but Corneo or his goons might recognize her. And if they do, they'll know something's up. As much as I'd like to have her go with me, she has to stay here."

"I guess that makes sense," he sighed. "I'd just feel better if you had some backup, you know?"

I smiled. "I do. But I'll be alright."

Now that Lena was on her way, everything had been set in motion. I couldn't help worrying a little about it myself, but I knew there wasn't anything I could do except see this thing through and find out what we needed to know. It would be dangerous, but I was more than capable of protecting myself and making anyone who tried to mess with me, Don Corneo included, extremely sorry.

After giving Biggs' shoulder a gentle squeeze, I went over to where Jessie was waiting for me. It was time to go find myself a dress. And as we left the bar, I reminded myself to have a little chat with Derla when I saw her again. She had pretty much blown our cover with her endless quest for gossip, and now she was going to regret it.

* * *

"Hi, mom!" Aerith called. "I'm home!"

Her house was small but comfortable, clean, and warm. Small pots of flowers sat neatly on the shelves and pictures hung from the walls. A round wooden table decorated with a white cloth and a vase of flowers stood in the middle of the main room surrounded by four chairs. Near the back, a set of stairs rose up to the second floor along the wall, and a small kitchen was nestled off to the right. The aromas of cooking food immediately filled my nose.

A woman in a dark green dress and white apron walked out of the kitchen when we came in. She was older, in her early forties, with dark blond hair pulled into a bun and a pair of soft brown boots on her feet. The sleeves of her dress were pushed up to her elbows, and she looked at me with a pair of dark blue eyes.

"Hi, baby," she embraced Aerith. "Causing any mischief?"

Aerith shook her head. "Nope. Not today, at least. Brought a friend over to meet you, though. This is Cloud. My bodyguard. A really good one, too. Cloud, this is my mom, Elmyra."

I nodded. "Um… hi."

"Bodyguard?" Elmyra blinked. "Are you alright, Aerith? Did he get you home in one piece?"

Aerith laughed. "I'm fine. He took good care of me."

Her mom looked at me. "Thank you, Cloud."

After she went back to the kitchen, Aerith turned to me. "So, what now? Gonna head back to Sector 7?"

"Yeah," I said. "Tifa's got a bar there. _Seventh Heaven."_

"I'm guessing Tifa's a girl?" Aerith said.

I nodded. "Last time I checked."

She stepped a little closer. "She your girlfriend?"

"Uh, no…" I shook my head. "It's kinda hard to explain…"

Aerith laughed. "Relax, Cloud. I'm not the jealous type. I was just a little curious, that's all. So… there's no special someone waiting for you over there? No pretty girl that's got your heart?"

There was, of course. It still felt a little unreal, the way Jessie had so gleefully and effectively gotten past my hard outer shell. I didn't mind, it just baffled me sometimes to realize it had actually happened. And at the moment, what I wanted most was to get back to her. I had to know she was alright, especially with this mysterious job the Turks had going on over there now. I didn't like being away like this.

I swallowed. "Well, uh… actually… there _is_ someone."

"Ohh, do tell!" she giggled. "That's so nice!"

"I'd rather not," I looked away.

Aerith stuck her tongue out at me. "Spoilsport!"

"What?" I blinked.

"Nevermind," she said. "Anyway, she's probably worried sick about you by now. So I'd better get you back to her. Don't worry, I know how to get to Sector 7 from here."

I stared at her. "Are you serious? It could be dangerous."

Aerith shrugged. "So? I'm used to it."

"And if we run into the Turks again?" I asked.

"We'll handle them," she said. "Wouldn't be the first time. I've dealt with them before. Can't have you getting lost, though. You're the kinda guy who's way too stubborn to ask for directions."

I frowned. "I don't need any help."

Aerith laughed. "Sure you do. You just don't know it yet."

"Aerith—" I began.

She turned to the kitchen. "Hey, Mom? I'm gonna take Cloud over to Sector 7. I'll be back in a little while."

Elmyra walked back out. "Oh, but I was just… forget it. Once your mind's made up, there's no changing it. But you should at least wait 'till tomorrow morning. It's getting dark outside now."

"Good point!" Aerith grinned.

"Hey!" I argued. "Hold up a minute. I—"

She smirked over her shoulder at me. "Looks like you're staying for dinner after all. Smells good, doesn't it?"

"Go make sure the guest room's ready," Elmyra told her.

Aerith flashed me a smug grin. "Sure thing!"

She darted up the stairs before I could say another word of protest. As much as I hated the delay, it looked like I was stuck here for tonight. I folded my arms in front of me, irritated at how Aerith had turned the tables on me so easily. And then I remembered my phone. I still had it in my pocket, and I took it out, figuring I could at least give Jessie a call to let her and the others know I was alright.

But when I turned it on, there was no signal. I sighed, realizing the explosion at Reactor 5 must've disrupted service across the sector both on the plate and down here. So much for that idea. On impulse, I went into my messages, but there was nothing new. If Jessie or Tifa had tried to contact me, they wouldn't have had any luck, either.

The last message I'd gotten was from Jessie. She'd sent me a picture of herself smiling cheerfully on the train this morning along with a few hearts. That had been when we'd first boarded. I wasn't much for texts, but I had known that she'd want to hear back from me. So I'd sent her a heart. But just one. Couldn't be too mushy.

As I put my phone away, Elmyra looked at me. "Those eyes. You're in SOLDIER, aren't you?"

"Used to be," I answered. "Why?"

"I hate to ask you this, Cloud, but… would you leave tonight?" she said. "No fuss, no questions. And without telling Aerith. It's just that… she doesn't need to get her feelings hurt again."

I understood. "Sure. I can do that."

Elmyra nodded. "Thank you. Dinner's almost ready."

I leaned Buster against the wall, then had a seat in one of the chairs as she worked on the food while Aerith came back downstairs. Looked like I wouldn't be as delayed as I'd thought at first. A few hours instead of half a day was something I could live with.

"All set!" Aerith said.

Elmyra glanced over at her. "Good. Mind setting the table, baby? I hope you're hungry."

She took out the dishes. "Starving!"

Dinner was pretty good, and as I'd expected, Aerith did most of the talking. She told Elmyra about how we'd met and how I'd protected her from Reno and Rude on the way here. I learned a little about Elmyra as well. Seemed she worked as a nurse at the local clinic, at least when she wasn't here at home gardening. She didn't actually look very much like Aerith, but I didn't think anything of it at the time.

When we were finished, Aerith led me upstairs. More flowers grew in small pots on a few end tables, and across from the stairs were three bedrooms, side by side. Another set of stairs rose up in front of us to a small loft and a fourth door, which must've led outside to the balcony. I followed Aerith to the third bedroom.

It was small but clean, with a twin-sized bed on one side and floral wallpaper. The plain white sheets and blanket looked pretty inviting, to tell the truth. I wouldn't mind getting some rest before heading out. As I set Buster next to the dresser, Aerith followed me inside for a minute, her green eyes dancing as I settled in.

"Here you go!" she said. "The guest room."

I turned to her. "Thanks."

She smiled. "You're welcome. Sector 7's just past Sector 6. Gotta go through the abandoned expressway to get there. Not exactly the safest place, so you'd better get some rest, mister."

"Yeah," I agreed. "I suppose so."

Aerith giggled as she walked out the door. "I'll be right next door if you need anything. Goodnight, Cloud!"

Then she left, her dress swishing around her as she slipped out into the hall and went to her room. After I'd set an alarm on my phone that would go off in three hours, I pulled off my boots and gloves, put them atop the dresser, and laid down on the bed. It was a little earlier than I'd have normally gone to bed, but this hadn't been a normal day. And as I let out a long, slow breath, I couldn't help feeling like I was gonna need all the rest I could get, and soon.

Before I went to sleep, though, I pulled up that picture of Jessie on my phone and gazed at it for a moment. What was she doing now? Was she thinking of me? Worrying was probably more like it. Aerith hadn't been wrong about that. Still, if all went well, I'd be back in Sector 7 in a few hours. Jessie would probably still be awake, so I'd just knock on her door and surprise her. I found I liked that idea as I put the phone next to the pillow and let my eyes slide closed.


	35. THIRTY-FOUR

## THIRTY-FOUR

The dress was a deep and rich blue, backless and trimmed in black with a short skirt that would go to almost halfway down my thighs. As I looked at it and felt the soft satin between my fingers, I smiled a little. This would do nicely. I took it off the rack, then stepped over to one of the mirrors in the little store and held it against me.

"Jessie?" I asked. "What do you think?"

She came over and grinned. "It's perfect! You'll look like dynamite in that dress, Tifa."

I had to agree. "Thanks. I think it's a keeper!"

Now all I needed were the shoes. Fortunately, the store had a fairly nice selection. It didn't take long for me to find a pair of heels to match the dress, and while I was trying them on, Jessie brought over a choker made of black silk as a finishing touch. I smiled my approval after I got a good look at it and myself in the mirror. After paying for everything, I walked outside with Jessie toward the bar.

"All that's left now is to get dressed and made up," I said. "And then wait for the carriage to come get me."

Jessie nodded. "That'll give us a couple hours, at least."

I smirked. "Right. It should be enough for you to work your magic on me. Think you can turn me into a star?"

"Oh, you bet!" she giggled. "Just you wait, Tifa."

We were almost to the bar when I spotted Derla lurking across the street watching the place. Probably hoping for another scoop. I handed the shopping bags to Jessie when we reached the base of the stairs, and when she saw what I was looking at, she understood. She frowned, not liking Derla any more than I did.

"Jessie, go on inside," I said. "I'll meet you upstairs."

She didn't argue. "Will do. See you there."

While she headed into the bar, I stormed across the street to where Derla was. When she saw me coming, her eyes went wide and she tried to run, but I caught before she could go more than few steps. I grabbed her by the shoulders, dragged her around the corner into a narrow side street, and slammed her against the wall.

"Tifa! What—?" she started.

"Shut up!" I growled. "I thought I told you to keep your big mouth shut! What's the matter with you!?"

She stared at me. "What do you mean?"

I tightened my grip on her. "Those men you were talking to earlier today. Know who they were?"

"No, I just—" she sputtered.

"You just wanted to gossip and blab like you always do!" I snapped. "We've had this little talk before, Derla. More than once. But this time, you've crossed the line. And I am _not_ happy."

Derla blinked. "I don't understand. What'd I do wrong?"

I glared at her. "Those were Don Corneo's men. Aside from being a snoop and a nosy gossip, you told them things you shouldn't have. Not that half of it's even true, but it got them looking where we didn't want them to. We don't need that kind of attention."

"I knew it!" she huffed. "You guys _are_ up to something!"

My eyes narrowed. "Enough! Don't you realize what you've done!? You may have just put everyone here in danger! All for a lousy stack of gil and a chance to flap your damn lips!"

Derla backed into the wall. "It can't be that bad…"

"It is," I told her, my voice laced with steel. "And if anyone gets hurt because of what you've done, I will personally take it out of your sorry little hide the first chance I get! Understand?"

She swallowed. "Y-Yeah! I'll shut up. I promise!"

I let go of her. "Good. See that you do."

To emphasize my point, I drove my fist into the wall to her left. She flinched at the impact and let out a little whimper, and I when I pulled my hand away, there was a sizable dent in the metal. Looked liked she'd finally gotten the message. I only hoped it wasn't too late. And thinking of that, I stepped away from her.

"Get moving," I said. "And keep quiet from now on."

Derla didn't reply. She just ran as fast as she could down the street. I'd done as much as I could about her, and now all I could do was focus on my plan and find out what Corneo was after. I hurried back over to the bar, worried about what might come of Derla's big mouth, and after waving to Biggs and Wedge, went upstairs to find Jessie and get myself ready for my undercover mission.

* * *

" _My, look how much you've grown," Mom smiled, looking me over as I lay in bed. "You must be quite a hit with women."_

_This was a dream. Or a memory. Maybe both. I didn't know. I didn't care. Mom looked just the way I remembered her—blond hair tied into a bun, a dark orange dress, white apron, and a warm voice. She stood near the bed, her blue eyes bright as they looked at me. We were in my room. I had stopped in for a quick visit since I was back in Nibelheim on business and had some free time tonight._

_I sighed, staring at the ceiling. "Not really."_

_She went on. "The big city's full of temptations, Cloud. I worry about you. And I'd feel a lot better if you found yourself a nice girlfriend to keep you out of trouble and take care of you."_

" _I'm fine," I said._

" _An older girl would be best for you," Mom continued as if she hadn't heard me. "Not too much older, mind you. Just a few years. Someone fun but also mature enough to look after you and make sure you know when you're being a silly goose. That'd be perfect for you."_

_I shook my head. "Not interested."_

_Then everything seemed to shift and blur for a moment. Somehow, I was standing even though I didn't remember getting up. Mom was gone, and when everything came into focus again, my eyes widened. I was still in my house, only now it was terribly different._

_It was burning._

_I remembered this, all too well. I could feel the heat from the flames, and the smoke stung my eyes as I hurried downstairs and into the family room. When I got there, I skidded to a halt. Part of the roof had caved in, collapsing from the heat and the fire. Mom lay partially buried beneath a large, heavy pile of broken wood beams, burnt shingles, and other debris. She was sprawled flat on her stomach, bruised and bleeding and dead. I tried to get her out anyway, but I couldn't._

_A single, narrow red slit in the middle of her back told me she'd been run through. And I knew, both from the sight of it and from the memory of this horrible day, who'd been responsible. Mom must've still been alive after the ceiling had collapsed on her, and he had come in and murdered her while she'd been pinned down and helpless._

" _Do you remember, Cloud?" he whispered, his voice like ice._

_I whirled around. "Sephiroth!"_

_He was there, his silver hair flowing around him as he gazed cruelly at me with those pale green eyes of his. His katana resonating with every step he took, he strode softly over to where Mom was. I clenched my fists and started to go after him as he went past me, but he swept Masamune across, blocking my way as he sneered at me over his shoulder, his eyes a pale, cold green with slitted pupils._

" _I see that you do," he said. "I can still hear her soft voice, begging me to spare you. I can see the way her flesh gave way to cold steel. You could not save her. You were too late, too slow."_

" _Shut up!" I yelled._

_Sephiroth turned, vanished for just a second, and then he was beside me, his hand on my left shoulder as he whispered in my ear. "As you will be again, Cloud. As you have always been."_

_I glared at him, my eyes blazing. "I'll kill you! Bastard!"_

" _You already have," he reminded me. "It was the defining moment of our time together. But that was then, and this is now. Turn around. Look again. And see once more what you fear."_

_Slowly, I did as he said. And when I saw what was in front of me, my blood ran cold. I wasn't in my house anymore. I was in the pillar, flames licking at the scorched remains of the Shinra chopper and the edges of the broken ceiling and shattered wall it had crashed through. Thirteen floors below me, the slums were burning in the night. But what made my heart stop and my eyes widen was what lay in front of me._

" _Jessie!" I gasped._

_She was half-buried by the ruined chopper and iron beams from the blasted ceiling, just as I'd seen her before in my other dreams, the broken rotor impaling her from behind. Blood pooled underneath her as her eyes slowly opened at the sound of rushing footsteps. Then, the vision shifted, and she wasn't under the debris anymore._

_Jessie lay with her back against the concrete column I'd carried her to in my first dream. She was dead, her head drooping down to her left side and her hands folded neatly over her chest. Her eyes were closed, and her red headband was gone. I must've already taken it and moved on, like in that first dream. As I looked at her, a cold ache piercing my heart, I knew this was real. No nightmare. No mako-induced hallucination. It was the future. One I swore would never happen._

_Sephiroth's voice lingered. "Can you change fate, Cloud?"_

" _Damn right I can!" I snarled. "And I will! There's gotta be a way. I'll save her. I'm not gonna fail her like I did Mom."_

_He laughed. "Brave words. But we've danced this dance before. As we will again. A world and a story, told and retold. Made and remade, over and over again. The details change, but the path is the same. Always the same. She has died before, and she will die again."_

_I clenched my teeth. "The hell she will! I won't lose her!"_

" _Watch her future," he taunted. "And yours."_

_Just as he finished, the pillar began to explode as the plate started to come down in huge burning chunks. Fire was everywhere, blasting across the ruined floor and ripping apart the remains of the Shinra chopper. As I watched in growing horror, Jessie's body was consumed in the inferno as the column behind her shattered and the flames swept over her, eating at her skin, hair, and clothes. Her armored vest blackened just as a massive section of the plate smashed through the ceiling._

_When it crushed her, I woke up._

* * *

I sat up with a jerk, my eyes flying open. It was dark, and the house was quiet as I felt my heart hammering in my chest. Cold sweat coated my skin, and it was a moment or two before I could gather myself. The images of the dream hung around me, and I struggled to get the hellish sight of Jessie's burning body out of my mind. And then, I touched my eye, gazing in wonder at the tear on my finger.

_Jessie, are you really… gonna die?_

Drying off the tear, I clenched my fist so tightly my nails dug right into my skin. But I didn't care. As I gazed at it, I shoved away the doubt that had gripped me. There had to be a way to save her, and I swore I'd find it. I had promised Jessie that I wouldn't let her die, and I meant to keep that promise. To her and to me.

Picking up my phone, I saw it was just before 11:00. Time to go. As I stood up and gathered my things, I noticed a small box by the door. I picked it up, opened it, and found a few potions inside as well as a tuft of phoenix down. A little care package from Elmyra, I supposed. I was glad for the items and put them in my pocket.

Before I took my hand out, though, I closed it over the round glass case and took it out. I looked at the baby chocobo feather for a minute. Its luck had saved me when I'd fallen from the plate. And maybe—just maybe—it could save Jessie, too. Her fate, supposedly, was to die. But a bit of luck might just help me change that.

After putting it away, I tugged on my boots and gloves, shouldered Buster, and opened the bedroom door. Aerith and Elmyra were asleep, and I didn't want to wake them. So I went a step at a time, moving with care so I wouldn't bump anything and make noise. It seemed like it was taking forever, but it was actually only a minute or so later that I got to the stairs and slowly started down.

I didn't speed up until I was well outside the house and heading on my way down the trail leading back to town. Then I raced through the mostly empty streets at a brisk jog, passing the orphanage, homes, and shops until I finally reached the western end of the settlement and slid into the outskirts like a shadow in the dark.

The entrance to the collapsed expressway had to be somewhere in this direction, and while there were probably other paths to Sector 6 as well, this was the shortest. The one Tifa and I had used when we'd gone after the Vice gang was longer and more roundabout, but also safer for the most part. I needed speed right now, though, and the highway was the best bet for that despite the danger. After a few minutes, I found it, a huge, gaping hole in the massive wall between Sectors 5 and 6. It led into the crumbling remains of the old road.

"Well, someone's up bright and early," a voice said.

I spun around. "Aerith!"

She stepped out of the shadows, staff in hand. "Thinking of taking off without me? That's not very polite."

"How'd you know?" I stared.

"Because I know my mom," Aerith explained. "And I know you. So it wasn't that hard to figure it out."

It made sense, of course. So much that I groaned inwardly, irritated at myself for not seeing it sooner. Aerith must've known Elmyra would ask me to sneak out of the house tonight and had beaten me to it while I was still asleep. I should've figured she'd pull something like this, but I had been so intent on getting home I'd overlooked it.

I frowned. "It could be dangerous."

She shrugged. "So? I can take care of myself, Cloud."

"Didn't want you getting hurt if you went with me," I admitted. "It's not safe out here, or where I'm going."

"You done yet?" she raised an eyebrow.

I sighed. "Fine. Lead on."

Aerith giggled. "My pleasure! We're off to Sector 7!"

Before I could stop her or say another word, she swept past me and hurried into the collapsed expressway. I shook my head hopelessly as I saw her leave. Aerith wouldn't go far, but her impulsiveness baffled me. Putting it out of my mind, I followed her inside.

* * *

"Well, what do you think?" Jessie asked.

We were in the upstairs bathroom, and as I looked at myself in the mirror, I liked what I saw. After meeting Jessie in my room, I'd changed into my new dress and heels. Then we had come in here to work on my makeup. I knew the basics pretty well, but I let her do most of it. Aside from a good foundation, moist red lipstick, a hint of eyeshadow, and a light touch of blush on my cheeks, she had also painted my nails with a shiny red polish that glistened in the light.

I smiled. "Looks great, Jessie. You did wonderful!"

"Thanks, Tifa," she grinned. "You're just about all set to knock 'em dead. Or down, if it comes to that."

I knew I was. "Yeah. Let's hope it doesn't, though."

Jessie laughed. "True. Anyway, seems like I did pretty good for my first makeover job. It was fun!"

"I've never seen this side of you before," I told her.

She started putting the makeup away. "Like you said before, it goes back to my acting days. There were people to help me with it like I did for you, but I'd often touch it up myself. And I had a friend or two who was really good at it. Taught me a lot."

I nodded. "I'd say you learned pretty well."

"Guess I did, didn't I?" Jessie chuckled softly. "And, Tifa… thanks. For letting me help you. And… for standing by me."

"You're so welcome," I hugged her tight. "We're friends, remember? Doesn't matter where you came from or who you are. And that's never gonna change. You're my big sister, and I'm yours."

She hugged me back, then let go. "You really are the best."

I winked. "That's two of us, then."

"So, Tifa…" Jessie grinned. "You _are_ gonna let Biggs see you before you leave, aren'tcha? He's still downstairs."

"I don't know what you mean!" I blushed.

She smirked. "Oh, come on! You just haven't been the same around him ever since I told you how he felt about you. Seems to me it opened more than just your eyes."

"Maybe it did," I admitted.

"You gonna tell him?" Jessie squealed.

I fastened the black choker in place. "Well, uh… I'm not as good at that sort of thing as you are, Jessie."

"I guess I _was_ a little forward with Cloud," she admitted.

"A little?" I laughed. "You kissed him barely a minute after winning our match. Can't really get much more forward than that. Jumped right into his arms and everything. Not to mention the way you'd always flirt with him whenever he was around."

She shrugged sheepishly. "I was excited. Hadn't felt that way about a guy in a really long time, you know? Not since I left the plate. I wasn't sure if I ever would again, but then, well… I met Cloud. I just… I hope he's okay, Tifa. I'm worried about him."

"He is," I assured her. "I'm sure of it. And he'll be back."

Jessie nodded. "Yeah. The carriage should be here soon, so I guess we'd better go. Be careful, alright?"

I took her shoulders. "I will. And before I leave, I'm going to have a word with Barret. You two need to work things out while I'm gone. It'll be hard, I know. But everything'll be alright, Jessie. He does care about you. Otherwise he wouldn't have been upset."

"I know," she sighed. "And I appreciate it. I'm just afraid he'll never trust me again. That things won't be the same."

I smiled. "Like I said, he'll come around. Just give it time."

Jessie returned it. "I will. You ready?"

"Yeah," I moved toward the door. "And, um… I guess we'll find out what Biggs thinks about my dress."

Her grin was huge as we went into the hall and headed downstairs. Just as she'd said, Biggs was in there, carefully sweeping the floor while Wedge and Barret sat with Marlene at one of the tables. When I walked into the room and Biggs looked up at me, his eyes grew wider than my best dinner plates. His jaw dropped to the floor, and so did the broom. I couldn't quite hide a laugh at his reaction.

"Tifa…" he breathed. "You're… wow! I, uh… I mean ya look great. Really beautiful, you know?"

I blushed again. "Thanks, Biggs."

Jessie stood proudly beside me. "Am I good or am I good?"

"Whoa…" Wedge said.

Barret agreed. "Lookin' mighty fine there, Tifa."

"So pretty!" Marlene piped in.

I ruffled her hair fondly when she came over to see me, then went to Barret and sat down, motioning for the others to give us some space. He knew what it was about before I even said anything, his face falling into one of his trademark frowns. And as the others moved away, I met it with a stern glare of my own.

"Barret," I said, keeping my voice low. "Jessie's still one of us. And I want you to work things out with her while I'm gone. You know as well as I do how loyal and caring she is. She's risked her life again and again for us and our cause. There's nothing she wouldn't do for any of us, and that includes you. So talk to her."

He grunted. "Wouldn't know what to say."

I did. "You can start by apologizing for what you did earlier."

"The hell?" he muttered.

I went on. "She needs this, Barret. Jessie's putting on a tough front, but Cloud being gone, with no way for us to know if he's hurt or not or even… even still alive… has been really hard on her. And what you did to her, tearing her down like that, only made it worse. I know you hate Shinra, but that's no excuse for hurting her."

He folded his arms in front of him. "She oughta told us right from the start who she was, Tifa."

"Maybe. Maybe not," I said. "It doesn't matter."

"I ain't makin' no promises," he said.

I laughed. "Now you're starting to sound like Cloud."

"Shit!" he snorted. "When that jackass gets back, I'm givin' him ten kindsa hell for makin' y'all worry."

I didn't doubt it. Just then, I heard the sound of wheels and clawed feet pulling up outside. Time to go. Barret and I stood up as the others came over to say their goodbyes. Hopefully, I'd be back soon with what we needed to know, and we could plan out our strategy from there. As I looked at everyone, though, and even the bar itself, I felt uneasy. And I suddenly understood Cloud's strange premonition from this morning a little better. Somehow, I felt the same way.

"You be careful out there," Barret told me. "Watch yourself. An' get back home safe soon as you can."

"I will," I promised.

Wedge was next. "Hurry back soon, Tifa. Sure wish Lena had been able seen you all dressed up like this."

"Me too," I took his shoulder. "Tell her thank you for me."

He gave me a thumbs up, then moved aside as Jessie brought me a matching blue handbag. "Here, Tifa. Your regular clothes and gear, just in case. Don't wanna forget 'em."

I took it and slung it over my shoulder. "Thanks, Jessie. You were a big help tonight. Now go find Cloud, okay?"

Jessie smiled. "You bet. One way or another, I'll find him. Unless… you run into him out there. And if you do… would you tell him I miss him? And to get his ass home already?"

"Count on it," I laughed.

After I told her goodbye, she nudged Biggs with her elbow. "Well? You gonna walk her outside or not?"

He blinked. "Huh? Oh! Oh, yeah. Sure."

I couldn't help giggling as he hurried over to open the door for me. As we headed outside, I waved to the others. The carriage was right out front, waiting at the base of the stairs, and when I saw it, I had to take a breath to calm my nerves.

"Well," Biggs looked at me. "Good luck, Tifa."

"Thanks," I told him.

He walked with me down the stairs. "And, uh… you up for a drink when you get back? Could use another Cosmo Canyon."

"Of course," I chuckled. "I'd like that."

When we got to the carriage, Biggs gave me a lopsided grin. "Well, I guess it's about that time, isn't it?"

I hugged him. "Yeah. Look after the others, alright?"

"Will do," he promised.

After standing in his arms for a little while, I reluctantly let go. We looked at each other for a long moment, and I found it was hard for me to leave. Butterflies swarmed in my stomach as I gazed at him. I wished I could've stayed there with him even if I didn't know how to say what I felt about him, but I had to go. I had to see my plan through to the end. And Biggs knew that just as well as I did.

As I stepped into the carriage, I looked over my shoulder at him, a small smile on my face, and waved. Biggs returned the favor, lifting his hand for a minute, then I turned and sat down in the plush, cushioned seat as the driver closed the door. As we started moving and rode away, I looked back at Biggs until the carriage turned onto another street and I couldn't see him anymore.

Nervous but determined, I rode on toward Wall Market.


	36. THIRTY-FIVE

## THIRTY-FIVE

I found Aerith just a short distance inside the collapsed highway. It was basically a long, enclosed tunnel with a cracked, curving roof. The concrete road had collapsed in entire sections, sinking twenty or thirty feet into the ground, and the light was dim and patchy as we started on our way. I kept my eyes alert for monsters since this was just the sort of place they'd lurk in and call home.

About a quarter of the way in, we ran into a pack of eaters, at least four or five. They scuttled toward us, their mandibles clacking, and as I drew Buster, they all swarmed at Aerith, who had gotten ahead of me. I ran to help her, but by the time I got there, she'd already taken out half of the buglike creatures with her spells and staff and was easily holding her own against the rest of them.

"Hmm," she said. "Must be a new breed."

"How do you figure?" I asked as I cut down two more eaters with a pair of quick slashes.

Aerith smirked. "They went for the stronger prey."

As if to emphasize her point, she blasted the last eater with a burst of flame from her materia. It screeched and fell away in a burning mess as I shouldered my sword and took the lead, not missing for a moment the smug look on Aerith's face. If I'd needed another reminder that she could take care of herself, I had just gotten it.

"So how'd this happen?" I indicated the broken road.

Aerith looked out across a sunken portion of the expressway to the upper section on the far side. "When Midgar was first being built, this whole sector collapsed. Some sort of accident, I think. Luckily, not very many people were living here at the time. This tunnel must've been up on the Sector 6 plate originally."

I nodded. "Is Shinra gonna rebuild it?"

"They started to," she said, "but quit halfway through. Now it's just a ruin and a nest for monsters. You know those giant robot hands that sit along the sides of the road here and there?"

"I've seen them," I agreed.

Aerith pointed to one nearby. "They're used in heavy construction. I think they still work, believe it or not."

I grimaced. "I think we're gonna need 'em."

"What for?" she wondered.

"Ladder's pulled up," I said, motioning to a red one on the far side of the gap. "Looks like it was done recently."

Aerith saw it. "Bandits, probably. Vice is the worst."

"Was," I corrected her.

She blinked. "You've run into them?"

I had, alright. "More than once. They hurt a friend of mine. So Tifa and I snuck into their hideout one night and explained to them what a big mistake that was. Painfully."

"I bet you did," Aerith chuckled. "That would explain why it's been so much quieter around here lately. Thank you."

"No problem," I said.

She took my arm then. "Is your friend okay?"

I hoped so. "She's fine."

"She?" Aerith smiled. "The girl you told me about at my house? No wonder you went after them."

I looked away. "Well, uh… yeah. That's her."

She giggled. "How sweet!"

"Right, well… moving on," I cleared my throat. "Spotted a console over here. Probably controls the hand."

Aerith nodded. "Makes sense. Can we use it?"

I thought so. "Probably. I can operate the controls while you take a ride on the hand and get that ladder down."

"Sounds like fun!" she chirped.

Between us, we managed to get the ladder down, Aerith sitting on the large robot hand while I used I to send her to the far side. After she got off, she unlocked the ladder and the bottom half descended toward the lower part of the road, hitting the concrete with a clang. Then I just made my way down there and up the ladder to join her. We stood there for a moment to catch our breath before moving on.

I glanced behind us. "Wasn't that hard."

"Yeah!" Aerith agreed. "You're pretty good at it. Must moonlight as a crane operator or something, huh?"

"Not really," I shrugged.

We had to go through the same routine two more times during our trip down the expressway, Aerith riding on another robot hand while I operated the console to clear us a path. Sometimes I had to use them to move some old cargo containers out of the way first, but in the end, we got through without a problem. After I had joined her at the top of the third ladder, she lifted her hand up in front of her.

"Cloud! Up top!" she said.

I blinked. "What?"

Aerith grinned. "High five! How 'bout it?"

"Aerith…" I sighed.

"Oh, come on!" she smirked. "It's not gonna kill you to lighten up a little. I bet you'd do it for that girl you like!"

I already had, in a way. I remembered how Jessie had gotten me to give her a fist bump just before I'd entered Reactor 5 when we had said goodbye. And if I got the chance, I thought I'd give her another when I saw her again. I knew she'd like it. In the meantime, I slapped my hand against Aerith's before moving on.

Her green eyes danced as she walked alongside me. We made slow but steady progress as we found paths around fallen debris and splits in the road, and we were about two thirds of the way to end when I saw it. A large shed sitting ahead of us and to the right, just like the one Jessie and I had fought. Another hell house.

Aerith had seen it too, and she had her staff ready. We'd have to get past this thing to reach the end of the highway, but I wasn't gonna leave it here to hurt anyone. Jessie would've wanted me to destroy it, so that's exactly what I intended to do. I drew Buster while Aerith concentrated on her spells and magic, and we closed in.

The house shuddered under the impact of our blows as I cut into it with a chain of rapid slashes followed by a focused thrust. To my right, Aerith seared it with a blast of fire and a tempest of magical energy as I kept up the assault. But the hell house hadn't gone down easily the first time I'd fought one. This battle wasn't any different.

It bull rushed Aerith, knocking her over before I could get to her. I grimaced and struck at the house from behind, alternating between my sword attacks and shocking it with lightning. The sentry reacted faster than I'd anticipated, though, its metal arms and head popping out even as it whirled around to face me. I barely got Buster up in time to block the vicious punch the house followed up with.

While Aerith picked herself up and scorched the house with more of her magical fire, I let loose with another string of quick slices on the house's head, dodging its snapping teeth the whole time. But then I fell back as it unloaded with its own fire from the flame jets at its base. The blaze caught my arm just before I could get out of range.

I dove into a roll to put it out and got up just as the hell house fired its dark red rocket. The blast hurled us both flat onto our backs for just a moment, and when I got up, I wasn't fast enough to block the house's punch this time. It slammed me in the chest and threw me back to the ground while Aerith burned the mech again.

"Cloud!" she called.

I shook off the pain as I stood up. "I'll be fine."

She nodded. "Good. That hell house needs flattening, and we're the wrecking crew! Come on!"

Grabbing Buster, I swept it into a tight forward arc, knocking away another punch before slicing off the other arm. Then I jumped and hit the thing's head with a powerful, spinning overhead chop while Aerith struck it with a bright, narrow beam of magical energy. The hell house crumpled under our combined assault as her piercing ray tore through its internals while I split its head open with Buster.

When it was over, I shouldered my sword, wincing at the pain each movement brought, and started to reach into my pocket for a potion. I stopped, though, when I realized Aerith wasn't moving. She stood with her eyes closed and her head bent slightly down, as if she were praying. Then she looked up and smiled.

I started to ask what she was doing, but then a gentle breeze swept over us as she lifted her arm above her head. A wave of magical energy followed it, and as it passed over me, I felt the pain fade away almost at once. I looked in wonder at my arm. The burns were gone, and I'd have bet the rest of my injuries were healed as well along with Aerith's. I had used healing spells before, but nothing like this.

I gazed at Aerith. "What was that?"

"Oh, just something I can do," she answered, shrugging innocently. "It takes a little while to build up, though."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's all?"

Aerith smirked. "Maybe."

"What about those other abilities of yours?" I asked. "Never heard of anyone who can use magic without materia."

She walked over to me. "I've always been that way."

I looked at her. "And you don't know why?"

"Didn't say that," she admitted.

So she _did_ know. "Care to tell me about it?"

"Not right now," Aerith shook her head. "Just not something I talk about very much, you know?"

"Yeah," I said. I did. Jessie wasn't so different.

Aerith smiled a little as she gazed at the destroyed hell house. "Sure brings back memories…"

"You've fought these before?" I asked.

"Yep!" she said. "Several times, actually. With a friend of mine. The one who saved Oates and Maddy, remember?"

I started down the highway again. "Yeah. You told me."

Aerith fell in alongside me. "Right. Well, anyway, we took out quite a few of them. She and I made a pretty good team. We went looking for them, you see. To hunt them down."

I froze in midstep, my eyes wide. "What did you say?"

"We were hunting them down," she repeated. "She and I destroyed as many as we could. It was really important to her. I was never able to find out exactly why, though."

It couldn't be… could it? "Aerith, I—"

"Well, lookie what we have here," a voice drawled.

Aerith and I turned to see a trio of masked men sliding toward us. One of them had a mohawk while the other two were bald, but I could tell right away that these weren't Vice punks. All three wore faded blue jeans, and their faces were covered by dark gray masks. One had a light gray half-shirt, the guy with the mohawk was hunched over and wore a leather harness, and the tallest of them sported a dirty red tank top. He must've been the leader of this bunch.

I frowned. "Get lost."

"Know who you're talkin' too, man?" the leader said. "Name's Beck. Butch is the hunchback with mohawk, and Burke's the other guy. We're Beck's Badasses, the toughest gang in the slums!"

"Not these morons…" Aerith sighed and rolled her eyes.

Beck glared at her. "Hey! I heard that!"

She snickered. "Good!"

"You know these guys?" I said.

"No, but I've heard of them," Aerith explained. "One of my friends from the Leaf House bumped into them out here a couple years ago. It was when that girl I told you about left. These guys aren't the brightest bunch. More annoying than dangerous."

Beck pulled out a long knife. "We'll show ya just how dangerous we are! Looks like we got a pair of trespassers, boys!"

Butch readied his fists. "Trespit, uh… what's trespassing?"

"Idiot!" Beck snarled. "It's when you, uh… it's like goin' somewhere you ain't supposed to be."

Burke nodded stupidly. "Yeah! Trespassing! Goin', uh…"

I folded my arms in front of me. "We were just passing through. So move aside. Or we'll move you."

Beck waved his knife in front of me. "You two trips… uh, you two _trespassers_ ain't goin' nowhere 'till you empty your pockets! So get to it! We're the meanest bunch around, especially now that Vice is toast. You really don't wanna screw with us!"

"Totally!" Burke added. "Gotta be a sign, I tell ya! Somebody snuck right into their hideout a while back and turned the whole place upside down and inside out. Even killed ol' Braddock! Whoever it was must've been a real badass to pull that off."

"That'd be him!" Aerith pointed cheerfully at me.

I smirked and made a show of slowly drawing Buster and resting it casually across my shoulders. The thugs' eyes went satisfyingly wide as I stood there gripping the sword's hilt with one hand. Then I lifted the other and made a little beckoning motion.

Butch swallowed. "M-Maybe we shouldn't piss him off…"

"Too late," I said.

As I took a step forward, the three thugs scrambled away, tripping over themselves and falling to the ground. Keeping my sword in hand, I led Aerith past them as they lay quivering on the concrete. Just where they belonged. I could hear them whispering to each other as we went further down the road and left them behind.

"Whatever you do, guys… don't move," Beck said.

Butch was shaking next to him. "I'm dead… I'm super dead…"

Burke rolled away. "Don't look… Just don't look…"

When we got far ahead of them, enough so they were long gone by the time we turned around to look, Aerith stopped for a minute and let out a long, loud laugh while I shouldered Buster. She'd been right. They were more nuisance than threat.

"Fun, wasn't it?" Aerith quipped.

I couldn't deny it. "I suppose. Got 'em outta the way."

We reached the far end of the collapsed highway without any other problems and soon found a hole leading outside. And, in fact, we could see the sky. This must've been where the Sector 6 plate had fallen years ago. A narrow path lined by mounds of discarded junk led to an empty playground in the distance. And as we walked down the trail, I realized that was where Aerith was taking me.

* * *

"Can I see your flower, Jessie?" Marlene asked.

She an' Jessie were sittin' at one of the tables by the front. Tifa'd left a while ago, an' it'd been quiet here since then. Biggs had finished with his cleanin'—damn place was so spotless you could eat offa the floor if you wanted—an' he an' Wedge were at the bar. I'd kept to myself for the most part, wantin' to get started on plannin' for the next mission soon. Just' hadn't worked up to it yet.

Jessie laughed. "You mean the one Cloud gave me? It's at my house, sweetie. I think you should stay here. It's getting late."

"You could go get it," Marlene insisted.

"She doesn't give up easy, does she?" Biggs chuckled.

Jessie shook her head. "Nope. Not at all."

"Please?" Marlene pleaded. "I can help you water it, too. It's just so pretty. Just for a little bit?"

"Well, okay," Jessie gave in.

Marlene cheered. "Yay! Hurry back, Jessie!"

"I will," she kissed the top of her head. "Be right back!"

"Then it'll be 'bout time for you to go bed," I told Marlene, walkin' over to her for a minute as Jessie left.

She giggled. "Okay, Daddy!"

I ruffled her hair an' smiled. "That's a good girl."

Wasn't too sure yet what to do 'bout Jessie. Thought I'd known her, but it turned out I was way off. Didn't know what to think 'bout it now. Tifa had told me to make up with her an' sort everythin' out, but every time I thought 'bout how Jessie'd kept the truth 'bout herself from us, it made my blood boil. She was a damn Shinra, an' no matter how hard I tried, it was all I could see. I hated it.

"Awright," I turned to Biggs an' Wedge. "Reactor 3's next."

"Huh?" Wedge blinked.

Biggs looked at him, then me. "Boss?"

I went an' sat down with 'em. "Gotta hit 'em hard an' fast, guys. We can't stop now. Still six reactors to go."

"Shouldn't we at least wait a bit?" Biggs wondered.

"No," I shook my head. "That's what they expectin' us to do. So we gotta go now an' show 'em we ain't backin' down."

Wedge scratched his head. "What about the others?"

I shrugged. "What 'bout 'em?"

"Shouldn't we see what they think first?" he wondered.

"I'm in charge 'round here, remember?" I reminded him. "So I say what we gonna do an' where we gonna go. An' I say we hit Reactor 3 as soon as we can. Let 'em see they don't own us."

Biggs sighed an' sipped his beer. "I dunno, boss. Maybe we oughta lay low for a while. Keep a low profile, you know. Just 'till the heat's off. Then we can get back to work."

"Makes sense to me," Wedge agreed.

They jus' didn't understand. I was 'bout to tell 'em that when Jessie came back carryin' her yellow flower an' blue glass vase in her hands as she carefully pushed open the doors with her shoulder. Marlene smiled an' clapped her hands when she saw it. Jessie put it down on the bar in front of her, then took a shot glass outta the cabinet an' filled it up with water. Then she an' Marlene used it to take care of the flower. My girl's eyes lit right up when she watered that thing.

"Thanks, Jessie!" she beamed. "It's not thirsty anymore."

Jessie hugged her. "You're welcome, Marlene. Did a really good job. You can be my helper anytime."

After a few minutes, I walked over. "Bedtime, little girl."

"Alright, Daddy," Marlene yawned.

As I picked her up on my shoulder, I looked at Jessie. "I, uh… well, thanks. She got a kick outta that."

"Sure," she nodded. "And about Cloud…"

"What 'bout him?" I asked.

Jessie tugged on her gloves. "I'm gonna go to Sector 5 and look for him. I shouldn't be gone long."

I shook my head. "Can't do that. Too dangerous."

"I can take care of myself!" she argued. "Wedge can come with me if you don't want me going alone."

"No. We all stayin' here," I told her.

Jessie stared at me. "But if he's hurt or something—"

I frowned. "He's strong, Jessie. He'll make it back. Them SOLDIER types don't die easy. Ex-SOLDIERs, too."

That was true enough, but I didn't know how to tell Jessie the other reason I didn't want her leavin'. I still wasn't sure I could trust her, an' I wanted her where I could see her an' find her if I had to. Tifa would've chewed me out if she'd been here, but she wasn't. Still, maybe there was a way Jessie could earn back a bit of what she'd lost.

She glared at me. "I know he is, but—"

"Listen…" I said. "That file you got from the warehouse. How close are ya to crackin' into it?"

Jessie thought for a moment. "Making progress. Why?"

I looked at her. "Get it open. Do that an' maybe I'll believe ya when you say you ain't with Shinra no more."

"I'm not!" she insisted.

I wanted to believe her, but I was still pissed. "So you say. Show me where your heart is, Jessie."

"Alright," she sighed, movin' to the elevator.

Before ridin' it down, though, she said goodnight to Marlene. Then Jessie hit the switch an' went to the basement while my girl gave Biggs an' Wedge each a quick hug. I hoped Tifa'd be back before too long, an' as much as I hated to admit it, the merc, too. We'd surely need 'em both for the next mission, without a doubt.

* * *

"Well, here we are," Aerith said. "Evergreen Park."

We walked away from the trail and stepped into the playground. It didn't look as if it had been used in a long time, though the equipment was still in pretty good shape. Some swings, a large, curved slide which was also the tongue of some silly dome-shaped character with a ladder going into its ear, and another small dome off to one side with a tunnel that kids must've once crawled through.

I gazed at the park. "This used to be on the Sector 6 plate?"

"Before it collapsed, yeah," Aerith nodded. "Used to sell my flowers here, once upon a time."

"Really?" I wondered.

She laughed. "Yep. Anyway, the gate to Sector 7's on the other side. Right over there. Can you see it?"

I did, following her as she pointed at it. The huge wall between this sector and Sector 7 wasn't far away, and the gate loomed at the end of a clearing just past the playground. Another dirt road ran off to the right away from the area, but I didn't give it much thought at the time. I just wanted to get home and see Jessie and the others.

"Looks closed," I noticed. "How do we get it open?"

Aerith shrugged. "We'll think of something. Anyway, I guess this is is it. Been quite a trip, huh?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "You okay to get back?"

"And if I wasn't?" she smirked.

I knew exactly what I'd do. "I'd see you home."

Aerith laughed. "Thanks, but that's going a bit out of your way, isn't it? And besides, I know how anxious you are to get back to your friend. So I don't wanna keep you from her."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Told you before, Cloud. I'm tougher than I look," she winked.

I believed it. "Yeah. And I'm as tough as I look."

"You got that right!" Aerith giggled. "Anyway, how about we take a break for a minute? We've got time."

I shook my head. "I really think we—"

"Up there looks good," she pointed to the large, goofy character in the middle of the park. "C'mon!"

Before I could stop her, Aerith trotted over to it and climbed up to the top. It was the dome with the ladder and slide. Looked like she was set on this, so I decided a few minutes couldn't hurt. I climbed up onto that cartoonish plaything's head, and we sat down together side by side with our backs to the Sector 7 gate.

"So, Cloud…" Aerith said. "You said you were First Class, right? In SOLDIER? That was your rank?"

I blinked, shaking off a bit of mental fog. "Yeah. Why?"

She shrugged. "Just weird, that's all."

"Really? What's weird about it?" I wondered.

"Nothing. It's just that you're both the same rank, that's all," Aerith answered. "It's actually kinda funny in a way."

I looked at her. "Same as who?"

She smiled sadly. "First guy I ever loved."

I wasn't surprised she'd been involved with someone before. Aerith was a nice girl, certainly attractive. Then I remembered Elmyra's words to me about how Aerith had gotten her feelings hurt once. Must've had something to do with this guy, but from the way she talked about him, I didn't think it had been intentional. She still seemed to like him a lot. I wondered where he'd gone and why.

"What was his name?" I asked. "I probably knew him."

Aerith shook her head. "Doesn't matter. But speaking of people we care for, what about that girl of yours? Gotta be someone really special for you to be so bent on getting back to her."

I couldn't deny that. "She is."

"So, tell me about her!" she grinned. "I wanna know!"

I nodded. "Well, alright. But first, there's something I meant to ask you before. That friend of yours, the one you fought hell houses with. I think… I think I might know her. Short girl with brown eyes? Auburn hair in a ponytail? That sound familiar?"

Aerith gasped. "Yeah, that's her! Gotta be!"

"You know her?" I stared, my mouth falling open.

"I was just about to ask you that!" she said, her jaw dropping as her eyes and mine both widened.

We spoke at the same time. _"Jessie!?"_

For a moment, neither of us said anything. Aerith and I just stared at each other, totally stunned at what we'd just found out. I could barely believe it. Aerith and Jessie had not only known each other, they'd been friends, had fought alongside one another. And going off alone to save some kids from a hell house was just the kind of thing Jessie would do. I knew how stubborn and determined she could be. And what it meant to her to rescue them from her creation.

"Wow!" Aerith chuckled. "Small world, huh?"

I smirked. "Seems that way."

Then her smile got wider. "So, if you know Jessie, then… she must be that girl you're so fond of!"

"Uh, yeah…" I swallowed. "That's her."

Aerith laughed. "How cute! Guess I shouldn't be surprised, though. She always did have an eye for cute SOLDIERs."

I remembered. "Her first boyfriend."

"Right," she went on. "It's how we met, actually. Sold them a flower on their first date. Well, gave it away, really. Did Jessie tell you she used to be a famous actress back then?"

"Yeah, she was in LOVELESS," I nodded.

Aerith leaned back and gazed up at the plate. "Midgar's sweetheart. That's what the press used to call her. I saw her perform once—bought myself a ticket to the show to see her on stage after we became friends. She was _really_ good, Cloud. Everybody loved her. And you should hear her sing! Have you? She's got the most amazing voice."

I blinked. "No. Never knew she could."

"Well, LOVELESS _is_ a musical," she quipped. "Kinda goes with the territory. But really, Jessie was one of a kind."

"Still is," I agreed.

Aerith sat up. "Definitely! She's the one you gave my flower to, isn't she? The one I sold you on the plate."

"Yeah," I admitted. "She really liked it."

"I'll bet! You know, I think it probably meant more to her than she let on. Her first boyfriend bought flowers for her all the time from me. She probably never expected to get one again after she had to leave and come down here to the slums."

I thought I understood. "It was a bit of her past."

Aerith leaned forward a little. "Yeah. Only now, you're the guy who got it for her. And I'm still the matchmaking florist. Seems like I helped bring the two of you together, didn't I?"

"Looks that way," I told her.

"Sure does," she agreed. "And Cloud… sorry about the date thing. I didn't know about you and her when I said that."

I waved it off. "It's fine, Aerith."

She stood up then. "Great! Now I'd better get you home to Sector 7. Jessie's waiting for you, and I'm gonna see to it that you make it back to her safe and sound. She's gotta be worried."

"You wanna go with me?" I stared, joining her.

"Thought you'd never ask!" Aerith teased. Then she jumped lightly to the ground. "Over here, Cloud!"

I leaped down after her. "Guess it can't hurt."

"Yeah," Aerith said, leading me to the smaller dome. "I haven't seen her in two years, you know. Jessie and I have a lot of catching up to do. And I still wanna hear all about how you two met. But it can wait until we're in Sector 7. She never mentioned me?"

I shook my head. "No. She doesn't talk about her past much."

Aerith didn't seem surprised. "I can definitely understand that. It's not always an easy thing to share."

"Right," I agreed. "So how do we open the gate?"

She pointed to the small dome. "We don't. There's a hidden tunnel in here that leads right into the middle of Sector 7. Heard about it back when I was just a kid, and I've seen people use it before now and then, so it's definitely the real deal. You ready?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

Just then, though, there was a loud rumbling, and we turned to see the gate slowly sliding open. As its two thick doors split apart, we saw a chocobo-driven carriage make its way into Sector 6. The cart was dark red and trimmed in yellow with a bright pink roof as it rolled along the dirt road, the driver carefully guiding the large yellow bird. And then it turned onto the winding road leading away from the park, giving me a good long look at who was sitting inside.

My eyes widened. "Tifa!?"


	37. THIRTY-SIX

## THIRTY-SIX

"Cloud!?" I gasped.

I happened to glance toward the park just as the carriage rolled by it, and my breath caught in my throat when I saw him. He bolted after me when his eyes met mine, and I turned around to look behind me as he tried to catch up. The carriage wasn't going very fast, so in just a few seconds, he was there, his blue eyes wide as he followed me along with a brown-haired girl in a pink dress.

Relief flooded through me. "You're alive! I mean, I was so sure you were, but still… I'm so glad to see you!"

"Same here, Tif," he said. "Did everyone get back okay?"

"Yeah, safe and sound," I told him.

He nodded. "Good. So what's going on here?"

"I'm on my way to Wall Market to meet Don Corneo," I answered. "I know how it sounds, but I've got my reasons. I'll explain later, okay? In the meantime, you ought to head back to _Seventh Heaven_ and check in with the others. Jessie's worried about you."

"Do they know you're doing this?" he wondered.

I chuckled. "They helped me get ready for it! Jessie especially. She's the one that got me all made up."

He frowned. "I don't like this, Tif."

"Didn't think you would," I smirked. "But you know how much ass I can kick. I'll be fine, Cloud. So just go on back to the bar and wait for me, okay? I'll come back when it's all over."

"Alright," he sighed.

I gave him an encouraging smile as he slowed down and came to a stop. The girl he was with didn't seem to like that, but there wasn't any helping it. If something happened back home while I was gone, I'd feel better knowing Cloud was there to help everyone.

Jessie would be thrilled to see him come back, and I knew it would do wonders for her spirits. I hoped she and Barret were working things out like I'd asked, but if he was still being stubborn, Cloud would surely set him straight once he found out what was going on. I didn't have any doubt about that. In the meantime, I had a mission to finish. I sat back down and took a deep breath to settle my nerves as the carriage slowly approached the outskirts of Wall Market. 

* * *

"Just where do you think you're going?" Aerith demanded.

I stopped short as she suddenly darted in front of me, blocking my way to the gate with her arms stretched out to either side of her. Green eyes grabbed me and held me as fast as the frown on her face. I tried to move past her, but she got in front of me again. Behind her, the gate to Sector 7 was slowly closing with a grinding of metal, and in only a few seconds, my clear path home would be gone.

I tried to go around her again. "Home. You heard her."

"No, Cloud!" she insisted, quickly blocking me again. "You're going after her. Now. That was Tifa, your friend. And she looked like she was in trouble. So we're gonna help her."

"She can handle the likes of Corneo," I said.

Aerith shook her head. "No, no, no! You don't know what he's like. I've heard stories about him. No matter how strong or smart you think you are, he can use it against you. Tifa's going right into his mansion, a place full of his flunkies. Aren't you worried about what might happen in there? Most women who go into the Don's mansion never come out again. Only one's ever done it as far as I know."

I sighed as the gate closed. "Guess you've got a point."

"You bet I do!" she giggled, finally lowering her arms. "First rule of the slums, Cloud—always listen to Aerith!"

"First rule?" I blinked.

Aerith laughed as we started walking. "Yep! Something I told Jessie once, back when she first came down here. It was a really hard time for her, so I helped her through the transition and showed her a few things about how to live in the slums."

I nodded. "Thanks. Glad you were there for her."

"My pleasure, Cloud," she said. "She lived with me for a little while before moving to Sector 7 about two years ago. That's the last I'd heard of her until today. But anyway, we've gotta hurry. Wall Market's not far away and Tifa needs us. C'mon!"

I looked at her as we trotted along. "What do you know about this place, Aerith? Ever been here before?"

"No, but I've heard plenty about it. The underside of Sector 6. It's a real _special_ place, if you know what I mean. An entertainment district. Inn, bars, shops, anything and everything. And with all that came guys who didn't much care for the law."

"And now there isn't any," I said, understanding.

Aerith went on. "Right. But, you know how governments are. They just walled everything up instead of trying to solve the problem. That's how the place got its name, too. It's like a great big veil, you know? And we're gonna go see what's behind it."

I sighed. "Can't say I'm thrilled about the idea."

"Me either," she agreed. "But Tifa needs us, so we're going."

I'd do whatever I could for her. "You said before that a girl escaped from Corneo's mansion once. Any idea how?"

"No, sorry," Aerith answered. "Wish I did. There are rumors about it, but I don't know if they're true. All I do know is that there was quite a commotion at his place when it happened. People in Wall Market call her Firebrand because she had red hair and supposedly threatened him with a grenade. Corneo denies all of it, of course."

Made sense. Being the guy that ran this town, he wouldn't want to admit that one of his girls had gotten the better of him. And the idea of Tifa going to see him alone _did_ worry me. Why hadn't Jessie gone with her? Surely they'd have had a better chance of pulling off this mad plan if they'd gone together, but Tifa was doing this by herself. I didn't like it at all. And I was going to get her out.

I glanced at Aerith. "It'll be dangerous. Maybe you should go home and leave this to me. Don't want you getting hurt."

"Not a chance, Cloud," she insisted.

"Yeah, sorry," I shrugged. "It's a guy thing."

Aerith smiled. "I know. Being all protective. It's sweet, but trust me, I'll be fine. What matters is helping Tifa."

"Right," I agreed.

After passing a cluster of abandoned shacks and a few gaudy signs advertising Wall Market in bright colors, we came to a row of wrangler style buildings all lined up on the left side of the road, wood with false fronts, and the biggest of them all was easily the chocobo stable with its large paddock and bright lights. And not far past that, the gate to Wall Market stood open and not the least bit inviting.

The chocobo carriage sat next to the paddock, but it was empty. As Aerith and I stopped to look at it for a moment and figure out our next move, a door in one of the nearby buildings opened and the man that I assumed ran this place walked out to meet us.

He wore a white shirt with the sleeves pushed up past his elbows, a brown leather vest, matching wide-brimmed wrangler's hat, a belt with a large gold buckle with a chocobo on it, and patterned boots. A coiled leather whip hung at his side, and he look at us with a pair of dark blue eyes above his thick brown beard.

"Hey, you two," he drawled. "What's your story?"

"We're looking for a girl who just rode here a little while ago in one of your carriages," Aerith answered.

I folded my arms in front of me. "You seen her?"

"Depends," the wrangler said. "I get a lotta customers wantin' a lift across the slums these days, and ain't easy keepin' track of 'em all. This girl, what'd she look like?"

"Athletic, dark hair, blue dress," I told him.

His eyes lit up. "You don't mean Tifa, do ya? Hate to break it to ya, kid, but she ain't gonna be seein' the light of day for a long while. If you wanna know more, go talk to the doorman at the Honeybee Inn. Tifa's gotta check in there before her audition."

Aerith nodded. "Thanks. One other thing, though. Know anything about Firebrand? I hear she's the only girl that's ever escaped from Don Corneo's mansion. So far, anyway."

"This really necessary?" I frowned. "We're in a hurry."

"Hey, it might help!" she glared at me.

The wrangler waved us off. "Just a story 'round these parts. Corneo don't let no one go. Everyone knows that."

"Maybe everyone's wrong," I said. "You know something."

He narrowed his eyes. "How do ya figure that?"

I met his gaze. "You answered too quick. Didn't even stop to think about it. So tell us what you know."

"You're pretty sharp, ain'tcha, kid?" the wrangler admitted.

"Enough to know when I'm being lied to," I retorted.

He relaxed, his lip curling into a small grin. "Fair enough. Girl did me a big favor a couple years back. That's why she went inside Corneo's mansion in the first place. She _is_ a story 'round here, though. Ain't lyin' 'bout that. Certainly left her mark on this town."

"So why'd you lie?" Aerith asked.

"Just tryin' to protect her," the wrangler explained. "Firebrand's my friend, ya see. Left town real quick after she made her escape. Can't say as I blame her for that. She didn't go far, though. Gave her a ride myself to where she was headin'. All part of the bargain."

I thought I understood. "You don't want Corneo finding out where she went. He'd try to retaliate."

"That's the short of it. He's got eyes all over the slums, so I just play dumb whenever anyone starts askin' 'bout her. Don Corneo ain't never forgotten how he was bested by one of his own girls. He'd send his boys out to kill her if he ever found her."

"We don't mean her any harm," Aerith promised.

The wrangler tipped his hat to her. "I think I can believe ya. Still, I ain't about to tell ya who she is. Word gets around in this town whether you want it to or not. She probably don't even know she's a legend here. Anyway, I've told ya all I'm gonna, so take a walk."

He turned and ambled away, disappearing into the building behind the chocobo stables before we could say anything else. We exchanged a puzzled glance, then made our way toward the gate. At least we'd found out where to look for Tifa. As for Firebrand, while it was interesting to hear about her, I wasn't sure yet how it could help us in our mission. It did prove that Corneo could be beaten, though.

Aerith glanced at me as we walked inside. "We've gotta find Tifa as soon as we can, Cloud. Wall Market's a dangerous place—especially for women. So we'd better hurry."

"Right," I agreed. "Let's mosey."

Wall Market was a maze of narrow, winding streets made of actual concrete instead of dirt. The buildings weren't as shabby as most in the slums, either. Strings of lights hung suspended over the roads between shops, inns, restaurants, and other, less savory places. We passed more than a few dark alleys and got turned around once or twice amidst the crowds and noise. I really didn't like this place.

"Better ask someone where this Honeybee Inn is," Aerith said. "We could get lost in this town pretty easily."

I shrugged. "We'll find it."

She smirked, rolling her eyes. "Just like I said. Too stubborn to ask for directions. Must be another guy thing."

"Must be," I replied.

Aerith laughed, then darted into a nearby clothing shop to find out where to go while I waited outside. She was back less than five minutes later with a slight nod, and we got underway again. We found the place not long after that, nestled in a secluded corner of town. The entry was flashy, with gaudy neon lights in various colors and shapes, honeybees being the most prominent. In front of the doors lingered a small crowd of mostly men, all of different ages and descriptions.

"Looks like this is the place," Aerith said.

I nodded. "It's flashy enough."

She chuckled. "What did you expect, Cloud? Anyway, better let me do the talking. You can be a bit… abrupt. What we need here is a softer touch. So just leave it to me, okay?"

"The hell?" I blinked.

"Come on!" Aerith moved toward the doors. "Can't very well keep Tifa waiting, you know."

Shaking my head, I sighed and followed her as she wove gracefully through the crowd. She attracted quite a few gazes from the men, but I turned them away quick enough with my own hard stare. We were just about to the doors when I saw someone familiar standing nearby. Red hair and a short-sleeved blue jacket. Aerith joined me as I went over to him. What was he doing in Wall Market?

"Johnny?" I said.

His eyes lit up when he saw me. "Bro! What are you doin' here? I'm just, uh… just tryin' to decide what to do."

I frowned. "About what?"

"Whether to go in or not!" Johnny said. "Makes me crazy, bro. It's a wild ride, the sweet embrace of pretty ladies. But I still need it. You get where I'm comin' from, don'tcha?"

"Not really," I told him.

He grinned. "Thought so. You don't seem the type."

I folded my arms in front of me. "Definitely not. Thought you were still back in Sector 7."

"Got outta there just this morning," Johnny explained. "Gonna try my luck topside, but I wanted to stop by and see the sights first. My last sweet memories of the slums, you know?"

"Seen Tifa around?" I asked.

His eyes widened. "Tifa!? My sweet Tifa's here? How'd that happen, bro? No, man, don't tell me! She came here looking for me, begging me to come back to her! I did this! Gotta pull it together. Don't worry, Tifa, your Johnny's comin', baby! I'm comin'!"

He bolted past us, running down the street and out of sight. Aerith and I watched him go, and I didn't know whether I should be annoyed or amused. Probably both. Anyway, he wasn't why we were here. And I doubted he'd be able to do much for Tifa anyway.

"Who was that?" Aerith wondered.

I grimaced. "Nobody you wanna know."

Putting Johnny firmly out of my mind, I led Aerith to the entrance of the Honeybee Inn. Two other men stood there. One was a tall brute who was obviously the bouncer. The other must've been the doorman, an older guy with graying hair. Aerith smiled to get his attention as we walked up to him, and he perked up at once.

"Welcome!" he said. Then he noticed me. "Another lonely fool, eh? Never fear, your destiny's here!"

"Hey!" I snapped.

Aerith stepped on my foot, still smiling, and I winced. "Soft touch, Cloud, remember? Let me handle it."

The doorman went on. "Looking for a girlfriend?"

"He's already got one," she said. "But maybe you could tell us where to find a friend of ours. You know Tifa?"

He nodded. "You're pretty quick! She's a top candidate for tonight's audition. Came here with a letter of recommendation straight from ol' Chocobo Sam and got a few last minute touchups on her makeup from one of Andrea's honeygirls. She's at Don Corneo's mansion by now, so I wouldn't count on seeing her again."

"Audition for what?" Aerith asked, shushing me.

"To become the future Mrs. Corneo," the doorman answered. "The Don's famous for his love of women. Holds auditions every night. Tifa's just what he likes, so she's sure to win."

Her green eyes glittering, Aerith held up a finger to stop my angry retort before it had even begun, then asked the doorman how to get to Corneo's mansion while I stewed impatiently next to her. Why was Tifa doing this? And why had the others gone along with it? I knew she had no interest in the Don—she wasn't stupid—so there had to be a reason she was putting herself in danger like that.

When Aerith was done, we left the Honeybee Inn and headed back through the twisting streets of Wall Market. Eventually, we came to the main road, and as it went further up, it widened until we saw Corneo's mansion ahead of us at the end of it. The street rose up in a short flight of steps just before it came to a curved bridge leading to the main gate as the plate brooded endlessly overhead. It was only partially built over this sector, giving us a glimpse of the night sky.

Inside the outer gate of the mansion was a small courtyard nestled in between the two wings of the estate and the main entrance ahead of us. A few stalls with silks, a gong, and other items stood nearby, and on either side of the doors was a thick column with a statue of a dragon in front of it. Three men stood in front of the closed doors, but it was the one in the middle that caught our attention.

He was maybe eighteen, lean, with short silver hair that went down to his shoulders. His hat, jacket, pants, boots, and glove were all black, and he wore a white undershirt as he looked at us with a pair of yellow, disinterested eyes. It looked like he was in charge of the door. I started to go up to him, but Aerith touched my shoulder, shook her head, and then put on a disarming, cheery smile.

"Hi!" she said. "We'd like to see Don Corneo, please."

The guy shook his head. "This is his mansion. Can't just go strollin' in like you own the place. So get lost."

I frowned. "We're looking for someone."

"Not so fast, buddy," he said. "Don't need any pretty boys here. The Don ain't into men. Now back it up."

"What about pretty girls?" Aerith asked.

One of the thugs leered at her. "Ya know, Leslie, she's kinda cute. A little plain maybe, but cute."

She glared daggers at him. "Excuse you?"

"Kinda cute's not gonna cut it," Leslie said. "You'll have to do better than that if you want inside, miss."

"Can't you help us out?" Aerith batted her eyelashes.

Leslie didn't budge. "You just don't get it, do you? If you really want in, then you'll need official approval."

The other thug eyed her hungrily, then glanced at Leslie. "She ain't half bad, Les. Just needs a little cleaning up, you know? Could be pretty damn hot with a little work."

"Cloud," Aerith growled, her emerald eyes narrowing dangerously. "Temper rising… requesting permission to kill."

"What?" I stared at her.

She took a step forward. "Five seconds to ass kicking."

"Denied!" I took her arm.

Leslie sighed. "Go bug the Trio if you're serious about this. They're the authorities on the Don's tastes. Chocobo Sam, outside the gate. You might've already met him on the way here. Then there's Madam M. She runs a massage parlor down the street. And last is Andrea Rhodea. He owns the Honeybee Inn. They're an eccentric bunch and don't sponsor just anyone. You'll have to impress them."

I nodded. "Understood. We'll be back soon."

Then I quickly led Aerith past the stalls until we stood just behind them near the outer doors where Leslie and his goons couldn't hear us. She was still fuming, grasping her staff tightly in one hand and casting an occasional angry glance back at them.

"You call that a soft touch?" I raised an eyebrow.

Aerith finally relaxed, grinning sheepishly. "Ah, yeah… guess I got a little carried away there, didn't I?"

I smirked. "And _you_ were worried about _me."_

"Whoops," she chuckled. "Anyway, here's the plan. Once we get one of the Trio to approve me, I'll go inside and take a look. Tifa's probably already in there, so I'll tell her about you."

My eyes widened. "No, Aerith! You can't do that!"

"And why not?" she demanded.

"Do you know… what kind of… place this is?" I asked. "You heard what Sam and the others told us."

Aerith nodded. "Of course I do. I'm a flower girl, not a saint. So, if I can't go in there by myself, what do you expect me to do? Care to join me? Of course, it'd be a lot easier if—"

I shrugged. "Gonna be kinda hard since I'm a man."

"Oh, I know!" Aerith laughed, doubling over. "But I… I just had… the craziest, funniest idea! I—"

I sighed a fit of giggles overtook her. "Do you mind?"

She smiled as she tried to compose herself. "Ahem, ah… go ahead, Cloud. What were you saying?"

"If I went in like that," I explained, "it'd cause too much trouble and put Tifa at risk. But there's no way in hell I'm letting you go in there all by yourself, either. It's too dangerous."

"Oh, um… right," Aerith chuckled, her eyes dancing.

I went on. "First things first, we've gotta find out if Tifa's okay. And then we'll go from there. I think—"

Aerith burst out laughing again. "Sorry, it's just…"

"Mind letting me in on the joke?" I asked.

"It's so simple, Cloud!" she grinned, taking a breath. "Just dress up like a girl! Bet you'd make a really pretty one, too."

My jaw dropped _"What!?"_

Aerith ducked out from behind the stalls and went back over to the doors to see Leslie and his goons. Had she gone totally _insane_? It was a crazy idea, alright. There had to be some other way for us to get inside, something other than… what she'd suggested.

"Hey, guys!" Aerith waved. "Almost forgot, but I've got a really cute friend I'd like to bring with me. Is that okay?"

Leslie shrugged. "As long as you get approved."

She smiled. "Thanks! See you in a few!"

I sighed as she made her way back to me. Looked like there wasn't any way out of this. I really didn't want to believe Aerith's plan was our only chance, but I knew that simply fighting our way in there wouldn't work and could endanger Tifa as well as us.

"Aerith!" I said. "I can't do this!"

"You _are_ worried about Tifa, aren't you?" she asked.

I nodded. "Of course I am."

"Then this is our best shot, Cloud," Aerith explained. "We'll talk to the trio, get our dresses, and get in there. After that, we'll find Tifa and get outta there before anyone even knows we're gone."

"What about him?" I glanced at Leslie.

She followed my gaze. "I doubt Firebrand could've escaped without him knowing about it. He's right there at the front door, and she'd have to have gotten past him to get out."

I had to agree. "Think we can trust him?"

"I don't know," she said. "But he didn't look at me the way the other guys did. It almost felt like he was trying to look out for me, you know? The way he wouldn't let me in so easily. Anyway, we'd better get going. Tifa's counting on us. Come on!"

Reluctantly, I decided to go ahead with Aerith's plan. As much as I hated to admit it, she was right that it was probably our only chance of getting inside the mansion and rescuing Tifa. I opened the outer doors and led Aerith outside, ready to put together our disguises and get this crazy thing started before I lost my nerve.


	38. THIRTY-SEVEN

## THIRTY-SEVEN

We found Johnny down the street on the far side of the bridge. He was apparently deep in thought—or whatever passed for thought in his crazy, oddball mind. He didn't see Aerith and I approach at first, but as we got closer, he looked up and noticed us.

"Oh, I get it now," Johnny said. "Tifa's at the Don's mansion. Well, if anyone could get invited, it's her."

"Yeah, she's in there," Aerith nodded.

He turned to us. "I knew it! That rat bastard Corneo may have my sweet Tifa captive at the moment, but her Johnny'll get her out! Doing that means winning the approval of one of the Trio. And I know where to find them and what to do to save her!"

"Johnny—" I started.

"Firebrand may have been the first to escape the Don's clutches," he ignored me, "but I'll make sure you follow in her footsteps, Tifa! Don't you worry! Help's on the way, baby!"

Then he ran off, racing down the street like a madman. Just like we had outside the Honeybee Inn, Aerith and I watched him go. He was a character, to be sure. Sobering up seemed to have loosened a few more screws than he'd already had wobbling when he'd been drunk in Sector 7. I didn't know what Tifa saw in him.

"Not the brightest bulb in the pack, is he?" Aerith said.

"Nope," I agreed. "Anyway, you sure about this plan of yours? It's a bit… out there. More than a bit, actually."

She didn't argue. "You got any better ideas?"

"Not really," I admitted. "So… what's our first step?"

Aerith pursed her lips in thought. "Hmm… well, why don't we see about getting you a dress first? Can't very well get approved by the Trio if you don't look the part."

I grimaced. "Alright…"

"Relax, Cloud," she giggled. "It won't be that bad. Now, let's see… I think that clothing store we passed on the way here should have a good selection. Of course, we might have to have yours specially made, now that I think about it. Because you're a guy and all."

"Let's just get this over with," I said.

Aerith smiled and patted my arm, then led me down the street. We found the shop she'd told me about a few minutes later. It was the same one she'd gone into earlier to ask for directions. Inside, a short, teenage girl was working behind the counter, and racks of dresses, shirts, pants, and other clothes stood in neat rows throughout the small store. In the back were a pair of curtained-off dressing rooms.

"Can I help you?" the girl asked.

"Yes," Aerith answered. "I'm interested in buying a dress, but I have some… special needs."

The clerk sighed. "That could take a while."

"What's the problem?" she asked.

"Well, you see, my dad makes all the dresses. I'm Lydia, by the way. And he's been in a real slump lately. Lost his inspiration and now all he does is get himself drunk at the bar."

Aerith nodded. "So we've gotta do something about him if we want to get a new dress, right?"

"Yeah, sorry," Lydia said. "He's been a real pain lately."

"It's okay," she assured her.

Lydia blinked. "You'd help me out? Really? Thank you! I don't have a clue what to do anymore, but if you could bring him back, I'd be very grateful. The bar's just down the street— _The Don's Delight._ Biggest one in Wall Market. You can't miss it."

Aerith smiled. "We'll do everything we can, Lydia."

"We?" I glanced at her.

"C'mon, Cloud," she smirked. "Time to go!"

We left and made our way to the bar. It was, as Lydia had said, big. But _The Don's Delight_ didn't have the warm and welcoming feel that the _Seventh Heaven_ did. As Aerith and I stepped inside, we saw it was loud and crowded, full of people both at the tables and the bar. A TV in one corner showed something about an underground coliseum match that would be starting soon here in Wall Market, and I heard voices already placing bets. Others called for more liquor.

We found our man alone slouched at a table near the door, a bottle of beer in his hand. Several empty ones sat in front of him. He was lost in his drink, middle-aged with graying hair and a thin beard. His dark blue shirt was stained with spilled liquor, and the smell of alcohol hung in the air around him as he glanced at us with a pair of dark eyes from under his faded brown hat.

"Yeah?" he said. "Whaddya want?"

"You're the father of that nice girl at the clothing shop, aren't you?" Aerith asked gently.

The man grunted. "I own the place, but I ain't yer dad."

"That's not what I said," Aerith blinked.

I folded my arms in front of me and frowned at the guy. "Make me some clothes. Fast as you can."

He snorted. "The hell with that. I don't make men's clothes. Didn't you see my shop? Just women's stuff. _Gant's Boutique._ And I ain't in the mood to make nothin' right now."

"Cloud," Aerith pointed to the bar. "Have a drink."

I could tell from her narrowed eyes and irritated tone that this was an order, not a request. So I did as she'd said and had a seat at the bar. It was out of earshot of the small table she and Gant were at, so I couldn't hear what they were saying. But I watched as she sat down to join him, and they cast an occasional glance my way as they talked. I wasn't sure I wanted to know what she was telling him, but he seemed to relax a bit once he heard it, even asking her questions.

As I got my drink, Aerith wrapped up her conversation with Gant, stood up, and smiled before coming to join me. I guess she'd convinced him somehow. I saw him get up himself, a little unsteadily but actually more sober than I'd expected, and leave the bar.

"So he'll do it?" I asked.

Aerith giggled. "Yeah. I… talked him into it."

I grimaced. "Do I wanna know how?"

"Probably not," she smirked. "But he's gone back to the shop to get started. We'd better head back over there ourselves so he can take your measurements. Let's go, Cloud!"

Leaving a few gil on the bar to pay for the drink, I followed Aerith outside and back to the shop. Gant was there behind the counter with a set of tailor's tools and a bolt of purple silk. Ignoring the curious stares of the other customers, I set Buster by the door and reluctantly let him do what he needed to do while Aerith watched. She managed somehow to keep from laughing, but just barely.

"Should be ready in about half an hour," Gant told us when he was finished. He rolled up his measuring tape. "So come back then and try it on, Cloud. Oughta be a good fit."

"Don't worry, he's really good at his work," Lydia smiled, pushing a few strands of brown hair from her face. "I think he likes the challenge you guys've presented him."

Aerith chuckled. "I'm sure he does. Be back soon!"

I turned to her once we walked outside. "So what's next? Looks like we've got my, uh… disguise. Should we see about yours? Or go visit the Trio first? I guess we need their approval."

"The Trio," she decided. "And I know just where to start."

"Chocobo Sam," I nodded.

We found him by the paddock outside the gate, just where we'd left him. Johnny was there as well, walking away dejectedly and muttering to himself. He didn't look up when he passed by us, and I wasn't sure if he even knew we were there at first.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" he growled to himself. "What the hell was I thinking? Shoulda known better and gone with my gut. I knew it was heads! Had to be. Damn! Well, I guess I'll go try her next. Or crawl in a hole and die. Nah, can't do that, Tifa's countin' on me! So, it's off to M I go. I just hope I have enough money."

Then he was gone, heading back into town. Sam, the wrangler we'd met when we first got here, started to go back to work, then scratched his beard and sighed when he saw us. He didn't seem surprised, but he didn't look too happy about it, either.

He waved us off. "Already told ya all I know. So skedaddle."

"Wait!" Aerith said. "You're one of the Trio, right? Chocobo Sam? I wanna get into tonight's audition."

Sam shook his head. "Sorry, sweetheart. I've already approved Tifa. Told you that earlier. And she's got this one in the bag. She's everything the Don likes in one deluxe package."

I frowned. "How'd you find out about her?"

"This other gal came to see me a couple hours ago," Sam explained. "Brought a few pictures of Tifa with her and showed 'em to me, wanted me to put her into the audition. Took one look and approved her right then and there. Knew she had the goods."

"This girl," I wondered. "What'd she look like?"

He thought for a moment. "Pretty young thing. About nineteen, I'd say. Brunette, hair to her shoulders, hazel eyes."

I blinked. "Lena…"

"I know her!" Aerith gasped. "From the Leaf House. Not very well, but we've talked a few times."

"She's a friend of mine and Tifa's," I said before she could ask. "Her brother, too. Lives over your way, Aerith, but comes to Sector 7 to visit pretty often. Tifa must've asked her to stop by here and get her into the audition while she was getting ready."

Aerith nodded. "Makes sense, but… why?"

I shrugged. "Dunno. We'll ask her when we find her."

"Right," she agreed. Then she turned back to Sam. "Can you please help us? Pretty please? With sugar on top?"

"Damn, but you're persistent," he chuckled.

I sighed. "You have no idea."

Sam took a coin out of his pocket, flipped it, and caught it, closing his hand over it. "Call it, missy. Guess right and you're in. Guess wrong and you leave me in peace. So, what'll it be?"

"Tails," Aerith said.

"Heads," Sam opened his hand. "You lose."

It was heads, alright. The small gold coin lay flat in his palm with a chocobo's head engraved on it. Something seemed off about the whole thing, but at first I wasn't sure what it was. Aerith just stared at the coin and huffed indignantly, hands on her hips.

"Well, shit…" she muttered.

"Don't look so glum," Sam consoled her. "You're a pretty gal, just… not what the Don's into. But if you're set on this, go see one of the other two. That's why there's three of us."

I called after him as he started to walk away. "Wait. Mind if I take a look at that coin of yours?"

"Suit yourself," he tossed it to me.

I caught it easily and turned it over. Just as I'd thought, it was heads on the other side, too. A trick coin. As Aerith and I took a long look at it, she glared at Sam, obviously not happy. Then I realized that was just the way things were in this town.

Aerith was fuming. "He cheated!"

I shrugged. "It's the Wall Market way. Lesson learned."

"Hmm… I guess you're right," she admitted. "But… what would've happened if I'd called heads instead?"

Good question. I looked at the coin again and noticed something a bit odd about the image. At first, I didn't know what it was, but then on a hunch, I pressed down on it with my finger for a moment. And when I let go, I saw the image had changed to tails. Some kind of hologram, I guessed. A trickier coin than I'd thought.

I showed it to Aerith. "There's your answer."

"That's _so_ not fair!" she complained.

"Neither's life," Sam told her. "Now go on and leave me alone. I got work to do, and a lot of it."

After tossing him his coin back, I went with Aerith back into town. We talked it over for a minute and then decided to try Madam M next. Her massage parlor was just down the main road at the end of a short, paved path. On either side of the door was a pedestal with a bright red lantern sitting on top. Both were lit at this hour.

Before we could go inside, though, the door flew open and Johnny came running out, a terrified look on his face as he stumbled down the path and into the street. Following him was a middle-aged woman, her black hair pinned up with a few gold hairpins. She wore a kimono that was as dark as her hair and had a bright orange obi in front, and on her face was a scowl as she stopped to glare at him.

"The hell's this bullshit?" Johnny said.

The woman pointed a closed black and gold fan at him. "You asked for a massage, and that was the price."

He shook his head. "I ain't payin' that much! It's a ripoff!"

"It's a business, not a charity," she narrowed her dark, almond eyes. "If you can't pay, then get the hell out!"

After she had stormed back inside, Johnny swallowed, then slowly picked himself up. He stood there for a moment and stared after her as Aerith and I walked up, and I noticed he was practically shaking. Then he turned to us, his eyes wide.

"Careful, guys," he warned us. "She's a siren, I tell you. Man, my gil! I heard she helped Firebrand pull off her heist, but I dunno. That witch scares the hell outta me… what a temper!"

Then Johnny waved at us and sped off down the street as fast as he could away from the massage parlor. Aerith and I exchanged a puzzled glance, then shrugged. It wasn't like we had much choice but to try and deal with Madam M. We could handle her. Walking up to the door, we opened it and stepped inside her shop.

It was a fancy place, with hand-painted illustrations on the walls in red, white, gold, and yellow. In front of us was a wide desk made out of some kind of dark wood. On an upright pole attached to it was a set of small white masks, and a small lamp sat at one end of the desk. Nearby stood a few large painted pots that looked pretty expensive, and a short hallway off to the right led to another room which was probably where the massages were actually given.

"Welcome," the woman in the kimono greeted us from behind her desk. "I am Madam M, owner of this establishment. Now step right up, don't be shy. Which massage would you like?"

Aerith blinked. "Say what?"

Madam M went on. "This is a hand massage parlor, dear. Excessive tension and fatigue can make even the simplest task a terrible strain. It is my duty and my pleasure to relieve my patrons of that tension. There is no better way to find relief than through the skilled ministrations of a trained professional such as myself. So, I ask you again, what manner of massage do you desire? I offer many varieties."

"We're not customers," I said.

Her eyes narrowed. "Then why are you here?"

"I want to get into tonight's audition with Do—" Aerith began.

"Oh, just shut up already!" Madam M's voice changed so abruptly I couldn't believe it was coming from the same person. "Are you stupid? Or just naive? You think I'll let you off easy? You want a favor? This is a hand massage parlor. So if you don't require my services, then give me one good reason why I shouldn't have you dragged outside and shot for wasting my valuable time!? Well!?"

Aerith swallowed. "Johnny wasn't kidding…"

Madam M glanced curiously at me. "Hmm… your name?"

"Cloud," I answered. "Cloud Strife."

"Now, give me your hand," she held hers out.

With a sigh, I took off my glove, gave it to Aerith, and held out my right hand. Madam M took it, her grip firm but gentle as she traced the lines on my palm with her closed fan. She gazed intently at it for a long moment, reading the grooves as if they were a book she couldn't begin to put down as she followed them with her eyes.

She leaned close. "Strong, firm… the hands of a fighter. Yet they're not without a certain elegance and grace. An intriguing combination. I like that. Now, let's see what you're made of, Cloud. And then, when it's over, we'll talk. So, which course?"

I didn't have to think about it. "Luxury."

"Excellent," Madam M said as she took the money. "Now go to the room in the back and wait for me there. I won't be long. Oh, and as for you, miss—what was your name again?"

"Aerith," she said, reaching for one of the pots.

Madam M noticed. "Stay put. And if you break that, you're paying for it. So keep your hands to yourself."

Aerith did as she was told while I made my way to the other room. Inside was a bed and a small side table with several different bottles on it. After I sat down, I took off my gloves, put them aside, and then laid back on the bed. I wasn't quite sure just what I was getting myself into, but I knew going cheap on her wasn't a good idea. And I had the gil, so affording it hadn't really been a problem.

Madam M came in a moment later, took one of the bottles, opened it, and dabbed a large glob of whitish cream onto her hand. Then, after rubbing her palms together, she gently took hold of my fingers and got to work, massaging them one at a time before eventually turning to my palms and the backs of my hands. She was attentive and polite, smiling as she worked, and I knew paying the extra money had been worth it. I have to admit, it did feel pretty good.

"If you enjoyed it, please come again," she said when she was done. "And you should try flexing those muscles, Cloud. You'll definitely feel the difference. Loose and limber, am I right?"

"Actually… yeah," I admitted, doing as she suggested.

Putting my gloves back on, I went back out into the main room. As I did, Aerith came over to me, but I didn't notice at first. I was gazing at my hands, opening and closing my fingers. Madam M was right. They felt different, more relaxed. I hadn't realized how tense they'd been, but I supposed holding Buster so tight in battle after battle could've played a part in that. I leaned against the wall and kept on moving my fingers until I finally saw Aerith watching me.

"So, how was it?" she asked.

I didn't look up. "Not bad, actually."

She looked at my hands. "What are you doing?"

"Flexing," I told her.

"Flexing?" she wondered.

I put my hands down. "Uh, nevermind."

Aerith giggled. "You're acting a little weird, Cloud. You sure you're okay? I mean… really weird."

"I'm fine," I said.

Madam M opened her fan with a flick of her wrist. "Alright. I think I've seen everything I need to see. So let's get down to business. Tell me what you want and we'll take it from there."

Aerith nodded. "I want in on tonight's audition."

"And why would you want to do that?" Madam M asked. "Hmm… on second thought, okay. I'll sponsor you."

"Really!?" Aerith exclaimed.

Madam M pointed at her. "But not like that."

Aerith glanced at her clothes. "Oh, that's right. I need a dress, don't I? Can you help me get one?"

"Yes, I can do that," Madam M said.

"Thank you!" Aerith smiled. "I really appreciate—"

Madam M motioned toward the other room. "Provided you take a turn on my massage table. Same course as Cloud. Don't worry, you will find it most relaxing. And the money will go toward your dress. Think of it as an investment, Aerith. Well?"

"Alright," she agreed.

"Very good," Madam M bowed slightly as I paid her. "Now head on over to the other room. I'll be there shortly."

Aerith glanced at me. "It was really that good?"

"What?" I blinked. I'd started to do a little more flexing. "Oh, yeah. Sure is, Aerith. You'll be fine. Go ahead."

"Ready?" Madam M asked.

Aerith turned to her. "Just about. Something I was wondering first. You helped Firebrand, didn't you? The girl who escaped from Corneo's mansion a couple years ago?"

"Ah, the legendary Firebrand," Madam M chuckled. "Just a rumor, a tall tale here in Wall Market. It's one of many and nothing you should put very much stock into, I'm afraid."

"Sam says otherwise," I said, straightening up.

She raised an eyebrow. "Did he now? Very well, then. Yes, it's true I helped Firebrand. She's a friend, though I've not seen her since she left Wall Market. I secured a dress for her and made her look gorgeous for her audition. After giving her one of my massages, of course. She was a good customer, paid well. Like the two of you."

"Why'd you help her?" Aerith asked.

"If you've spoken to Sam, you'll know she did him a great favor. He was having some… difficulties… with Corneo, and she offered to help him in return for a ride to her destination."

I folded my arms in front of me. "Which was?"

"Not for me to say," Madam M answered. "My apologies. I admit, I was skeptical of her chances at first. But I helped her because she had a plan that, if she succeeded, would cause Don Corneo no small amount of pain and humiliation. It was a daring theft."

"And she pulled it off," I said.

Madam M smiled. "Beautifully. It was everything I'd hoped for. She even gave that monstrous pet of his a vicious burn on her way out. Yes, she earned her name well. Strapped the grenade to her leg underneath her dress before she went into the mansion. Suffice it to say, my respect for her grew considerably upon her return."

Aerith glanced curiously at her. "Yeah, but… you work for Corneo, don't you? You and the rest of the Trio. Why would you want someone to go and embarrass him like that?"

"My dear, you're young and stupid," Madam M sighed. "He's a sick, perverted son of a bitch, but he owns this town. If we stood up to him, we'd lose everything, maybe even our lives. We don't have a choice but to send him his girls. But as you may have noticed, it's not exactly easy to make the cut. That's partly our doing."

"Your way of looking out for them," I understood.

She nodded. "Exactly. So when Firebrand came along, we all saw a chance to strike back at Corneo, even if only in a small way. She did us a great service that was more than just what she took back for Sam. She proved to everyone that Corneo can be beaten, even intimidated. And in our gratitude, we agreed after she left to keep her identity a secret in order to protect her from his vengeance."

"I wonder whatever happened to her…" Aerith murmured.

"I don't know," Madam M said. "But wherever she is, we of the Trio wish her well. I've told you all I can about her. The only one who could tell you more is Andrea. He and Firebrand were old friends, but I don't know where they met before. Good luck trying to meet him, though. I hear he's got quite a waiting list. Three years."

Aerith blinked. "Ouch. Think you could maybe put in a good word with him for us? We really want to see him."

"We do?" I blinked.

"Perhaps," Madam M agreed. "Since you've paid me so generously. That does have its rewards. But first things first. Your massage, Aerith. And then we'll see about the rest."

Setting her staff aside, Aerith went into the other room, and then a moment later, Madam M followed her. I could hear the occasional soft sigh from Aerith as well as the low murmur of Madam M's voice while they were gone. They came back about ten minutes later, and I couldn't quite hide a little smirk when I saw Aerith flexing.

"You like it?" I asked.

She blushed, dropping her hands. "Oh, um… yeah."

Madam M looked her over. "Good. Now, then. I'll need some time to gather everything, so come back in say, fifteen minutes? I should be ready by then. And you'd better be, too."

"We will," I told her. "That's cutting it close, though. Midnight's not that far away. We can't miss the audition."

"I'll send word to Corneo to delay it until you arrive. He won't care if it means getting a chance to view another potential bride that's better than anyone his men can drag in there."

Aerith nodded. "Okay. We'll be back soon."

I glanced at her. "Better go check on my dre—ah, you know what I mean. Good a time as any, I guess."

"Sure, we can do that," she giggled.

After leaving the parlor, we went back to Gant's shop. He was there at the counter when we went inside, and when he saw us, he motioned to Lydia. She smiled at us, then went over to a nearby clothing rack and took the dress from where it was hanging. It was long, purple, silk, and I didn't have any idea what to do with it.

"Here you go," Lydia handed it to me. "Dad's been busy working on it ever since he came back. Just finished a little while ago. Go and try it on, see how it fits. Dressing room's in the back."

Taking a breath, I made my way to the dressing room, stepped into it, and pulled the light blue curtains closed behind me as Aerith waited outside. I shook my head hopelessly at this whole crazy situation, then took off my tunic and pants and struggled into the dress, very glad that Jessie and rest couldn't see me right now.

"Uh… how do you get this thing on?" I asked.

Suddenly there was a rustling noise behind me, and as my stomach leaped into my throat, I whirled around to see Aerith poking her head through the curtains, her green eyes dancing merrily as she looked me over and grinned, clearly enjoying herself.

I covered myself as best I could, but since I was half in and half out of the dress, there wasn't much I could do. "Aerith! What the hell? Ever heard of privacy? I'm changing in here!"

"Still not right…" she mused.

"What's not?" I asked.

She let go of one of the curtains and snapped her finger. "Got it! A wig! That's what you need, Cloud!"

"Good, great, mind letting me change?" I said.

"Sure thing!" Aerith winked. "But I gotta say, Jessie's one lucky girl. Having a body like yours all to herself…"

I stared at her. _"_ _Aerith!"_

"Sorry, I'm going now!" she laughed.

Then she closed the curtains, still chuckling to herself as I finished putting on the dress and took a good look at myself in the mirror. The fit wasn't bad, and it didn't itch, either. Satisfied, I pulled it off, changed back into my normal clothes, then left the dressing room to see Aerith standing over by the counter chatting with Lydia.

"Fits fine," I said as I joined them.

Gant took the dress and hung it back up. "Good, good. Aerith was just tellin' us you need a wig, too. I thought you might, so I had a word with a friend of mine while you two were gone. You know the gym just across the street? You'll find a bunch of folks like you. Just ask for Jules, the head trainer. He'll get you what you need."

I glanced at Aerith. "Like me? What'd you tell him?"

"Does it really matter, Cloud?" she asked. "It worked. And here we are! Anyway, we got you a pretty dress!"

I hurried toward the door as she followed me. "Mind saying it a bit louder, Aerith? I don't think everyone in the store heard you. As if this whole thing wasn't embarrassing enough…"

"Oh, you…" she giggled. "Let's go get your wig!"


	39. THIRTY-EIGHT

## THIRTY-EIGHT

"Jules, head trainer," he held out his hand.

After a moment, I took it. "Cloud."

He was tall and muscular, with a gray and red lycra shirt and black leather shorts. Tall, black leather boots with white laces covered his feet and went up to shins, and he also wore a pair of black knee guards and wristbands. His shoulder-length brown hair was held back with a black bandana, and his face was decorated with makeup.

Jules smiled. "So you wanna be cute, eh?"

"Cute?" I blinked.

"Yeah, he's the one," Aerith cut in, giggling. "Gant said you've got a wig for us, right? We could really use it."

We were in the gym, a wide, low building filled with men, women, and all kinds of fitness equipment. There was even a boxing ring off to one side. Exercise bikes, punching bags, and a few treadmills lined the walls along with various weights and other gear.

Jules nodded. "So I've heard. He filled me in on your situation. But if you want it, you'll have to earn it."

"How?" I asked.

"The traditional way, of course," he said. "A squat-off."

Aerith glanced at me. "Squats?"

"A kind of exercise," I explained. "Bending down and straightening up again while swinging your arms. Did 'em all the time when I was in SOLDIER. Not a bad way to work out."

Jules laughed. "Exactly! Head on into the ring, Cloud."

"Good luck!" Aerith said.

As I went inside, Jules motioned to a burly guy who had weights in his hands. "Ronnie! Over here!"

Ronnie put his weights down. "What's up, Jules?"

He was huge and dark-skinned, with a white tank top and shorts as well as a pair of wristbands. Ronnie's legs were like tree trunks, and his muscles bulged. Obviously he spent a lot of time here, and although he wasn't quite as big as Barret, he was big enough.

"Think you're up for a challenge?" Jules asked. "Go join our friend in the ring. It's time for some squats."

Ronnie snorted when he saw me. "A challenge, Jules? You serious? This guy's built like a twig! I could snap him in two with my eyes shut. He's just a scrawny little thing."

I folded my arms in front of me. "Just get over here."

"This'll be easy!" he smirked as he stepped into the ring. "You don't have a clue what you're getting yourself into, little man. They don't call me the Big Bro for nothing!"

"Now, now," Jules told him. "Don't go judging our new friend here by his muscle mass. You know how you get, Ronnie. Focus, remember? And don't get overconfident again."

Aerith smiled encouragingly. "You can do it, Cloud! Um… so what are the rules, anyway?"

Jules held up a stopwatch. "It's pretty simple, really. Whoever does the most squats in thirty seconds is the winner. Ronnie's really good at it, but I've got a feeling your friend is, too. And if he wins, the wig is all yours. So good luck to you. Ready, guys?"

I nodded. "Ready."

"Gonna wreck this guy!" Ronnie snickered.

"Go!" Jules started the watch.

It wasn't even a contest. Ronnie was big but not fast, and he slipped up a few times because he got himself distracted trying to keep up with me instead of concentrating on what he was supposed to be doing. So I beat him easily, never breaking my rhythm even once, and I was barely even sweating by the time it was over.

"What the?" Ronnie grunted. "How the hell could I lose? This guy doesn't even look like he gets enough protein!"

Jules shook his head. "Now, now. What did I tell you? It's not about mass, but quality. You judge people by their build and totally miss what else they might have. That, along with your overtrained ego, is why you lost to our bold challenger today!"

I stepped out of the ring. "The wig?"

He went over to a shelf in the back and returned with the hairpiece in his hands. It was well-made, as far as I could tell, and clean. It would do, I supposed. The long blond hair had been carefully tied into a pair of braids with little white bows.

"Here you go," Jules handed it over. "Be sure to take good care of it. You're really something, aren't you, Cloud? Anyway, thanks for helping me teach the others a valuable lesson. And sorry for pulling you into it like that. We're just a big family here at this gym, and now you're a part of it, too. So anytime you or any of your friends want to train and work out, our doors are always open to you."

"Thanks," I told him.

After Aerith and I left the gym, I turned to her. "Alright, we got the wig. Back to Madam M?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Better not keep her waiting."

"Right," I agreed. "But… let's drop the wig off at Gant's first. I don't wanna walk the streets carrying this thing."

Aerith chuckled. "Sure. Guess I can't blame ya."

After taking it across the street to Gant and Lydia, we headed back to Madam M's massage parlor. She was there waiting for us behind her desk as we went inside, a small smile on her face as she fanned herself. Aerith was practically quivering with anticipation.

"Good, you're here," Madam M said. "I've got everything I need to get started. Are you ready?"

"Yes, yes I am!" Aerith squealed.

Madam M laughed softly. "Excited, I see. Nothing wrong with that. Very well, then. Let's begin."

I leaned against the wall. "Should I wait here?"

"Not necessarily. Beauty takes a lot of time, work, and preparation, far more than you'd know. In the meantime, why don't you go have fun around town for a bit? It won't hurt you to know how to enjoy yourself properly and learn the ways of the world."

"I don't do sightseeing," I said.

Madam M rolled her eyes. "There's a big surprise. But this wasn't a request, Cloud. Now go on. Shoo!"

Aerith giggled and waved. "Have fun, Cloud!"

"Fine," I sighed, straightening up.

"Good," Madam M said. She turned to Aerith. "Let's go. Come with me and we'll see what we can do."

Aerith followed her to the hall. "Can't wait to see the dress!"

Madam M nodded. "That's part of it, yes. But there's also your hair and makeup. Your nails, too."

"Oh," she said. "I didn't know that."

As I watched them go, Madam M closed her fan with a single flick of her wrist and pointed it at me. "Peek and I'll poke your eyes out. Are we understood, pretty boy?"

We were. "Yeah, got it. No peeking."

Satisfied, she led Aerith down the hall and into the other room as I turned and went outside. I wasn't sure where to go or what to do, but I knew hanging around Madam M's doorstep was probably a bad idea. I started walking, making my way through the narrow, winding maze of streets until I saw a weapon shop near a large pile of junk and assorted debris, almost like some kind of collection. Not having anything better to do, I stepped inside to look at what they had.

Ahead of me was the main counter, and along the wall to my right were shelves and racks full of assorted weapons and armor. The sounds of metal being worked rang out from my left, where inside an enclosed area, someone was busy welding and hammering. When the guy heard me and pushed up his helmet, I stared in surprise.

"Marcus?" I asked.

He grinned as he put his blowtorch down. "Hey, there. I remember you! Been a while, hasn't it? Since our little job in Sector 3. Don't think I ever got your name, though."

"Cloud," I said.

"Well, good to properly meet ya," Marcus said, scratching his short brown beard. "So where's J? I don't see her."

"At home," I answered.

He nodded. "I see. Well, when you get back, give her my regards. I ain't forgotten what you two done for me when we met. Helped me get away from Scotch and his thugs."

I remembered that encounter well enough, how Corneo's men had burst into the covert meeting Jessie and I had been having with Marcus to buy the explosives for the Reactor 1 job. She'd used a smoke bomb to give us all cover so we could escape, and it had worked perfectly. It was good to see Marcus had made it back safe. I'd almost forgotten that his shop was here in Wall Market.

"They give you any trouble?" I wondered.

"Nah, Corneo's got more to worry about than me," Marcus said. "I hear he's had all his men fanning out across the slums lately looking for some folks. That Avalanche group, I think."

I froze. "Any idea why?"

Marcus shrugged. "Dunno, sorry. Not sure if they've found 'em yet, either. They're still looking, far as I know. But anyway, is there anything you need? We've got a good selection here."

"I'm fine," I shook my head.

So, Corneo was looking for Avalanche. If Tifa and the rest had run into some of his men over in Sector 7, that would certainly explain why she had come here. To find out why. I wanted to know, too, and when I got in there with Aerith, I was going to get some answers. Between Tifa and us, I knew we could make Corneo talk. Firebrand had beaten him, and so would we. We had to.

"Fair enough," Marcus said. "But if you change your mind, just talk to my brother over at the counter there. I might have something for ya later, so be sure to come back. Take care."

I left the weapon shop, not really sure where to go next or when to go back to Madam M's, and I had just taken a few steps outside when I suddenly heard running footfalls racing up behind me. My hand flying to Buster's hilt, I whirled around, not surprised that some idiot or three would try to jump me in this town. But it was only Johnny, skidding to a halt when he saw me glaring at him.

He waved his hands out in front of him. "Whoa, whoa! It's just me, Cloud! Johnny! Sam caught me up on everything, said you're gonna go save Tifa. But we've got a couple things to do to help get you ready first before you go busting on in there."

"What things?" I asked, letting go of Buster.

"Well, first we gotta swing by the materia shop," Johnny said. "Sam said the owner's got something for ya."

I sighed. "Alright. Let's go."

I didn't know where the place was, but Johnny apparently did. As I followed him into another street, I tried my best to tune out his endless chatter. He seemed to have calmed down a little, at least. We found the place a few minutes later. It was a small building made out of sheets of corrugated metal and thick layers of brown canvas for the roof. A short flight of steps led up to the front door.

"Damn, this place gives me the creeps," Johnny shivered, looking at the large cast iron cauldron sitting off to one side. "Think they like, uh, do some kinda ritual sacrifice in here?"

"Doubtful," I said, moving toward the door.

He swallowed nervously. "I hope you're right, man. Come to think of it, I don't even know how people use materia. They're just, uh… big orbs of… something. I—hey, wait up!"

Johnny caught up to me as I went inside. The place was dim, lit by candles and filled with antique vases along with shelves of materia. The clerk lay on a rug near the back with his head propped up on his elbow, and he looked at us as we walked over to him.

"Hey there," he said. "Been expecting you. You're the merc ol' Sam was tellin' me about, aren'tcha?"

I nodded. "Right. You've got something for me?"

He rubbed his stubbled chin. "Maybe. But first, I need you to fetch something from the inn for me."

"I'm not your dog," I grimaced.

"Ha! And they say you don't got a sense of humor. Anyway, there's a vending machine in there. It's got a certain… special item inside, but it ain't cheap. Get it and bring it to me and I'll give you something to go with that disguise of yours."

Johnny glanced at me. "Disguise?"

I frowned. "Don't ask."

"So why haven't you gotten it yourself?" he said to the guy. "Seems easy enough to me, dude. What's the deal?"

The clerk sat up. "Got into it with the inn's owner, had a big fight a while back. Been banned from the place ever since. So go bring me the item. You know what it is. You know!"

Johnny scratched his head. "No, I—wait… the Sauce!?"

"Not so loud, idiot!" the clerk growled.

"The Sauce?" I wondered. "What the hell is that?"

The clerk chuckled. "Something for real men, and something only real men can deliver. You'll see."

I left, Johnny right behind me, and hurried on down the street so I could get this absurd errand done. The inn wasn't far away. A concrete building with a metal roof. There was a guy standing outside, shouting to whoever would listen about how good the rooms were. I was hoping he wouldn't notice us, but then he did.

"Hey, guys!" he said. "Got a good room for you! It's perfect for you two, and I can show you! So how 'bout it?"

I glared at him. "Not interested."

Johnny shook his head. "No, no, we're not here for that!"

"Then what the hell do you want?" the barker snapped. "If you two boys don't want a room, what are you here for?"

"The vending machine," I said.

He snickered. "Oh. Down the hall on the right."

I brushed past him and headed inside. Just as he'd said, the vending machine was on the right side of the hall past the front desk. It was big and yellow, with several buttons on one side for dispensing the various items. The one down at the bottom was labeled "The Sauce" but didn't show anything of what it was. And it was also the most expensive item in the machine. I sighed and put the money in.

There was a muffled thump, and then a bottle rolled into the bin at the bottom of the machine. I picked it up and took a look at it. It was a large plastic thing with a gaudy, colorful label that read "The Sauce" in big, bold letters with a wide starburst behind them. Some kind of weird energy drink? I supposed that was it.

"Oh, wow…" Johnny breathed. "The Sauce…"

"Just looks like some kind of protein drink," I shrugged. "So what's the big deal? I don't get it."

He slapped his forehead. "No, man! It's way more than that. Guess you didn't read the smaller print, did you? It's an energy drink, alright, but for, uh… high performance, if you, um… know what I mean. With the ladies. Get what I'm saying, bro?"

My eyes widened. "Oh, uh… I see now."

"Right," Johnny said. "Now put it away, fast! Can't let anyone know we have it! Let's just take it back to the materia guy and show him what we found in our little trip to the weird."

I slipped the bottle into my pocket, and we left the inn. Johnny was a few steps ahead of me, looking around back and forth and scratching his head as if he thought everyone in town was looking at us. He was a character and a half, and I didn't really know what to make of him. But I had to put up with him for now.

The clerk sat up when we got back. "Hey, it's you two!"

"It's about that time, bro!" Johnny exclaimed, pumping his fist. He was bouncing on his feet. "The Sauce…"

The clerk's eyes widened when I pulled it out. "Could it really be…the Sauce? It is! The Sauce! Never thought I'd live to see the day. Only a true man among men can get that."

"Whatever," I shrugged, handing it over. "My item?"

He took it eagerly and stood up. "Don't worry, I've got it right here. Thanks so much! You don't know what having the Sauce means to me, bud. Now I can finally please my wife again! I think I'm gonna close up early tonight, go home, and give her some lovin'!"

Johnny grinned. "Go to it, dude!"

"Here you go," the clerk gave me a tiara, studded with diamonds. It glittered in the light. "Dunno why you need somethin' like this, but ol' Sam told me to give it to you. So it's all yours."

"Uh, thanks…" I said, quickly stuffing it into my pocket.

Johnny blinked. "That for your—"

I glared daggers at him. "Finish that sentence and die."

"Oh, uh, s-sorry, bro!" he stammered.

"Anyway, what's next?" I asked as we went back outside.

He took a small box from his pocket that looked like some kind of medicine. "Sam told me to find this girl named Sandra. She works with cosmetics, sometimes helps the honeygirls with their makeup. Anyway, she's got something for you too."

I wasn't surprised. "Know where she is?"

"Last I heard, she was at the bar," Johnny said. "She always goes up there after work every night to have a drink or two, according to Sam. I went there earlier and man, was she sick! Ran right into the bathroom! Guess she must've had some bad food or something."

"So what's that?" I pointed to the box.

He showed me as we started walking. "Stomach medicine. Went to the pharmacy and picked it up for her just before I came to see you. So we'll take it over to her, help her feel better, and then she'll give you the stuff Sam wanted her to bring for you."

I nodded. "Fine. Let's go."

When we got to _The Don's Delight,_ Johnny led me to the back and a short hall that led to the restrooms. There was one for men and one for women. I didn't know what to do, but Johnny did. He just walked up to the door of the women's bathroom and knocked softly.

"Yo, Sandra?" he called. "You still in there?"

A weak reply came back amidst the wet, splashy sound of someone throwing up. "Barely. Who're you?"

Johnny answered. "It's Johnny and Cloud. Sam sent us."

"Oh… sorry, I… I'm not feeling so good right now…" she coughed. "Been stuck in here… for an hour…"

"I know, I've got some medicine for you," he said.

"You do?" Sandra asked.

Johnny crouched down. "Yep! Sure do! Here, I'll just slide it under the door. Can you get it?"

"Yeah, thanks," Sandra replied.

After he had pushed the box under the bottom of the door, I heard Sandra pick it up. Hopefully, the medicine would work. We could hear her opening the flap and unwrapping it as I stood against the opposite wall with my arms folded in front of me.

Johnny got back to his feet. "You doing okay?"

"A little better," Sandra answered. "I'll be out in a minute."

It was just a little bit longer than that when the door finally opened and she walked out. Johnny's eyes went wide when he saw her. Sandra's hair was long, a deep red, and spilled down over one slender shoulder. She wore a white blouse, black skirt, and matching hose and heels and looked like she was probably around the same age as Aerith and Jessie. Her green eyes gazed gratefully at us from above her freckled cheeks as she strode gracefully over to us.

Johnny swallowed heavily. "S-Sandra?"

"Guess you're Johnny?" she asked. "Thanks for the meds. I'm still a little queasy, but not as much as before. That's the last time I'll ever get the special over at _Gramps' Grill."_

"Um, uh, sure!" he said. "N-No problem!"

Sandra glanced at me. "I take it you're Cloud, then?"

"Yeah," I told her.

"Then this is for you," she replied.

She took a small glass bottle out of her purse and handed it to me. Swirling inside was a pale pink liquid, and the bottle had a metal spray nozzle on top. Some kind of perfume. Another piece to my disguise. It couldn't be helped, so I just nodded my thanks and put it in my pocket in a hurry. Luckily, Johnny kept his mouth shut this time. Though that was probably because he was gaping at Sandra.

She smiled at him. "Guess I should reward you, too. You did come to my rescue, after all."

"Huh?" Johnny blinked.

Before he knew it, Sandra was planting a soft kiss on his cheek. His face went as red as his hair when she pulled away, and for the first time since I'd met him, he seemed to be completely at a loss for words. With a little wink, Sandra took a few steps, then glanced over her shoulder at him, still smiling as he stared at her.

"See you around, Johnny," she said. "You know where my shop's at, right? Don't be a stranger."

Then she was gone, walking down the hall and out of the bar. For a moment, we just watched her leave. Johnny's eyes were fixed firmly on her swaying hips and slim figure as she moved, and he had his hand on the spot on his face where she'd kissed him.

"Whoa…" he breathed. "Did you see her, bro?"

"She's alright," I said.

Johnny shook his head. "Gorgeous, more like! Cloud, man, I know you and Jessie are like, a thing now, but that still doesn't mean you can't admire the sight of a pretty girl when you see one."

"Never said I didn't," I admitted. "I'm not blind, Johnny."

He laughed as we made our way outside. "Right! Long as you don't touch, it's cool. Still can't believe she actually…"

I understood. "Yeah, I know. Anything else we need?"

"Nope!" Johnny said. "We got it all done."

It was about time. "Good. I'll head back and check on Aerith. She's probably ready by now. What about you?"

He grinned. "You heard Sandra! She totally digs me! So I'm gonna go over to her shop and turn on the ol' Johnny charm! This is gonna be a night to remember! Hot damn, what a girl! As much as I like Tifa, I'd be an idiot to pass up a chance like this."

"Try not to strike out," I said.

"No way, bro!" Johnny chuckled. "Catch ya later!"

Then he rushed off down the street, his eyes lit up like beacons and an eager smile on his face. I supposed I couldn't blame him. Jessie's kiss on the train back from Reactor 1 had stunned and overwhelmed me as much as Sandra's had done to Johnny, and I realized then that I missed the feel of Jessie's lips touching mine. There was only one way for me to get back to her and save Tifa, though. And that was Aerith's crazy plan for us to infiltrate Corneo's mansion.


	40. THIRTY-NINE

## THIRTY-NINE

I was heading back to Madam M's massage parlor when I noticed a commotion going on down the street ahead of me. A cluster of people was crowded all around the area looking at something or someone, but from where I was, I couldn't tell what had gotten them all so interested. Then I saw Johnny coming toward me, shooing aside the onlookers as someone followed closely behind him.

"Cloud!" he called. "Glad I caught ya. Look who's here!"

I stared as he stepped aside. "Aerith?"

It was her. She was wearing a strapless red silk dress and heels, and her hair had been undone from its usual braid and hung loosely down her back aside from her long bangs. Her pink ribbon was still fastened in the back, though, with that strange whitish-green materia of hers in the middle. Aerith also had a pair of red high heels on her feet, and her lips glistened with matching lipstick.

"Hi there," she said.

I nodded. "Hey. That's really…"

Aerith laughed. "I know. Corneo's got certain… tastes. The way he likes his girls to look. But this thing's so hard to move around in. Kinda gaudy, too. Or maybe I'm just not used to it."

"Right," I agreed.

"So?" she put her hands on her hips. "How do I look?"

I blinked. "Uh… nice."

Aerith shook her head hopelessly. "Well, _you're_ a lot of fun, Cloud. You should've said something sweet like, 'you look beautiful, Aerith' or maybe even 'you're really hot in that dress.' Haven't you ever told Jessie how great she looks before?"

"A little," I admitted. "But not often."

She chuckled. "Obviously. Better keep practicing."

I shrugged. "Whatever. So, Johnny, I thought you were heading off to see Sandra. The girl from the bar?"

"I was," he said. "But I ran into Aerith on the way there. She was on her way to see you after leaving Madam M's place, so I went ahead and brought her back here so she wouldn't get lost."

"Thanks for the escort," she flashed him a smile.

Johnny did a low, sweeping bow. "No problem, Aerith! Always glad to help out a pretty lady."

She winked at me. "See! That's how you do it!"

"I guess so," I said.

"Well, this is it for me," Johnny grinned. "I'm off to see Sandra now. And I'm really glad you two are looking out for Tifa. So break her outta Corneo's den of debauchery, alright?"

Aerith nodded. "We will, Johnny. And good luck!"

With a jaunty little wave, he hurried away as I gave the small crowd that had gathered around us a hard stare. They dispersed quickly after that with hushed murmurs as I pointedly ignored Aerith's disapproving frown. No sense having people gawking at her like that, even if she did like the unexpected attention she was getting.

"So what now?" I said.

"Now it's your turn to get all prettied up, Cloud," Aerith giggled. "I can't wait to see how it turns out!"

I sighed. "Better head over to Gant's, then."

"Yep! And after you get changed, it's back to the Honeybee Inn we go! Madam M sent word to Andrea about us while you were gone, and he's interested in having a meeting. You'll need to impress him, though, to earn that letter of approval. I've already got one from Madam M. But I'm sure you can win him over, Cloud."

"How?" I wondered.

She shrugged. "Dunno. But it's sure to be fun!"

Laughing excitedly, Aerith led the way back to Gant's shop. I'd been able to avoid thinking too much about this part of the plan while doing all the different tasks to get ready for it, but now that it was time for me to actually change into my disguise—I pointedly avoided thinking of it as anything else—I found I wasn't looking forward to it. I didn't have a choice if I wanted to save Tifa, though.

"Wow, you look great!" Lydia beamed when she saw Aerith.

"Thanks!" Aerith smiled. Then she glanced pointedly at me. "Well, Cloud? Wanna give it a try?"

I scratched my head. "Um, you look great."

She smirked. "Well, it's a start, anyway. Thanks, Cloud."

"You ready?" Gant asked.

"I suppose," I said. "Let's get this over with."

He handed me the dress and wig, and I headed toward the dressing room to get changed. On the way, I glanced over my shoulder at Aerith as she trailed behind me. She stopped when she saw me looking at her, and I was pretty sure she knew why.

"Don't go poking your head in this time," I told her.

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Aerith promised.

I left her standing there with her hands behind her back, whistling innocently as I hurried into the dressing room and closed the curtains behind me. Taking off my merc's gear, I slipped on the dress, arranging it as well as I could. I realized then that Gant had padded it in the front of the chest to give me some curves and make it look more convincing. I couldn't believe I was really doing this.

After setting the wig on my head and making sure the braids hung down the front of my shoulders, I took out the diamond tiara I'd gotten from the materia vendor and put it on top. Then I sprayed myself with a bit of that perfume Sandra had given me at the bar. When I was done, I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed.

Aerith gasped and clapped her hands together in excitement when I stepped out of the dressing room. "Oh, look at you, Cloud! We're sure to get into the Don's mansion now!"

"We'd better," I grimaced. "And Aerith?"

"Hmm?" she asked.

I gazed firmly at her, folding my arms in front of me. "Once this is over… don't say a word. To _anyone._ Understand? Especially Jessie. You know how she is. I'd never hear the end of it."

She giggled. "But you're so pretty!"

"Aerith!" I looked away.

"Oh, you…" she laughed. "Hmm… you might wanna wear makeup to really sell the look. But Andrea's people can probably help with that. And try to walk more nicely. Like this."

I blinked. "Nicely?"

She moved gracefully down the aisle, her steps smooth and clearly feminine. I watched her closely, trying to see how she did it, but when I tried, it just felt awkward. Fortunately, Aerith was a patient teacher, and she spent a few minutes showing me what I needed to do, going side by side with me as I worked it out. By the time we were done and I moved up front to the counter, I was walking a bit more like her, enough that I figured I could fool anyone who looked at me.

Lydia gaped at me. "That's… _really_ something!"

I nodded. "Uh, thanks."

"Not bad," Gant said. "Might be a new business for me. Looks good on you, Cloud. Really good, in fact."

"Yeah, I think you're right, Dad," Lydia agreed. Then she smiled at Aerith and I. "Thanks for your help, guys. You gave us a new direction, and Dad's motivated again. So the dress is on us."

Aerith hugged her. "Oh, you're welcome. You helped us, too."

"Good luck," Lydia said. "I hope you find your friend."

"We will," Aerith assured her.

Lydia slipped back behind the counter. "You two are gonna be just like Firebrand! I really admire her, you know. Some people say it's only a story, something made up because everyone's tired of Corneo and his thugs running things into the ground here, but I think she's real. I wish I could be brave like her, but I'm just a sales clerk. Not much chance for heroics in an everyday place like this."

Gant looked at her. "You don't need to be runnin' into danger, girl. It's tough enough worryin' about Don Corneo and whether he'll decide to bring you in for one of his auditions. I don't really care about sendin' him his cut of our profits, but I ain't handin' you over."

"I know, Dad, and I love you," she said. She turned back to us. "You see, ever since she outwitted Corneo and made her escape, Firebrand's become a symbol of hope for the young women of Wall Market. Not all of Corneo's potential brides come from the Trio. Those girls go to him willingly. But a lot of others don't."

"What do you mean?" Aerith wondered.

Lydia went on. "He often sends his men all across town to find him his girls, get them dolled up, and drag them over to his mansion. I had a close friend who was picked one night almost a year ago. Marcy. And I… I haven't seen her since then."

"I'm sorry," Aerith murmured. "And I think I understand."

"We're afraid of Corneo, all of us young women. Our families, too. He doesn't care if we're married or have kids. All he wants is to have his fun, if you can call it that, and then dispose of us when it's over. I'm just about the right age for his auditions. And I've seen his men outside the shop sometimes. I… I think they might pick me soon. I'm only sixteen, but Corneo's taken girls that young before."

I frowned. "Why don't you just leave town?"

"I couldn't do that," Lydia said.

"That ain't true," Gant argued. "You could go stay with your aunt in Sector 5. You'd be safe there, Lydia."

She shook her head. "We've had this argument before, Dad. It's way too much work for you to run the shop all by yourself. And your health isn't so good, either. Especially after all that drinking. I know the risks, but I'm not gonna leave you here alone."

Aerith smiled. "You're a lot braver than you think, Lydia."

"Huh?" she blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Risking your life to stay here and help your dad," Aerith answered. "Even though you could leave town at any time. Might not be as flashy as fighting monsters or Corneo's thugs, but what you're doing still takes courage. Firebrand would be proud."

Lydia stared at her. "Really? You mean that?"

Aerith took her hands. "You bet. I think I see why you girls look up to her so much. If she could get away from Corneo, then maybe there's a chance that any of you could, too."

"That's right," she said. "If I ever get picked…"

"You won't," Aerith told her.

Lydia gazed at her. "How do you know?"

"We won't let Corneo or his men hurt you," Aerith promised. Then she glanced at me. "Right, Cloud?"

"Right," I nodded.

Lydia blinked away a sudden rush of tears. "Thank you! I… I don't know what to say… I've just been so scared, waiting for the night when his men would come and take me away. You see, if Don Corneo doesn't get enough volunteers from the Trio, he makes up the difference using the girls his goons bring him. Three girls for every audition, no matter if they want to be there or not. And I don't."

Aerith squeezed her hands gently. "We're gonna deal with Corneo, Lydia. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

Lydia sped back in front of the counter and threw her arms around Aerith in a tight embrace as Gant ruffled her brown hair fondly. After a minute, she let go, then did the same to me. Caught off guard by Lydia's unexpected hug, I stumbled backwards a little and held my arms out to either side at first. But then, hesitantly, I slid my arms around her for a moment while Aerith grinned in approval.

Then Lydia finally let go. "Sorry, I just… me and all the other girls in this town, we've been hoping and waiting for someone to come here and finish what Firebrand started. And now… here you are. So go kick Corneo's fat, ugly ass for us, okay?"

"You can count on it," Aerith assured her.

"If you can put the smackdown on that toad, I'd be really grateful," Gant put an arm around Lydia's shoulder as he looked at us. "Lydia's all I have left. She was ten when Corneo's thugs took her mother away. My wife. I'd have left this town long ago, but…"

"But what?" I asked.

He glanced at Lydia. "You don't know this, hon. Never wanted you to. But if it helps these good folks put Corneo in his place, I won't keep it secret anymore. And you're old enough to hear it."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The day after your mother was taken, I went right up to Corneo's mansion and demanded he let her go. Of course, I got turned away. He paid me a visit later, though. Knew I was a dressmaker. And that I had a daughter. Said if I didn't sew dresses for his brides, he'd send his men out to take you away once you were old enough. I wasn't gonna let that happen, so I agreed to his terms. I had to stay."

"Dad…" Lydia breathed.

He sighed. "But lately, I realized I couldn't trust him to keep up his end of the bargain. I've seen his men outside the shop too, Lydia. But I didn't know what to do about it. I felt stuck, out of options, and tired of it all. I was afraid to lose you, but I didn't know how to protect you. So that's the real reason I started drinking. It let me forget about it all for a while. Bein' bored making normal clothes was just a bad excuse. But… I can't be hidin' in the bottle anymore."

Lydia hugged him tight. "I love you, Dad."

"Love you too, sweetie," he told her. Then he smiled apologetically at us. "Sorry for gabbin' on for so long. But I thought you should know. It kinda felt good, gettin' it all out. But we won't keep ya any longer. Go save your friend and give Corneo a good thrashin' while you're at it. I'll have your gear sent to Andrea, Cloud. He'll get it to you once you need it. And Madam M's got you covered, Aerith."

"Yep, she does!" Aerith agreed. "Take care, you two."

Then we left, heading outside and through the winding streets. As we made our way toward the Honeybee Inn, I couldn't help but realize I was being looked at, noticed, and admired by a lot of the men that we passed. Aerith giggled at the low whistles and flirty lines they gave me, but I just ignored them, wanting to get this crazy plan done as fast as I could. I glared at the guys that tried to hit on us.

"You get this a lot?" I asked Aerith.

She shrugged. "Well, not so much at home. And it's partly because of how we're dressed. But being a girl _does_ mean getting noticed. Can't get away from it completely. It's all part of being what we are. But don't you worry. You'll get used to it."

I grimaced. "Not sure I want to."

"You _do_ make a really cute girl, though," Aerith chuckled. "Oh, and that reminds me. Madam M and I came up with a name for you to use during our little mission, something feminine. And you'll learn to love it, trust me! So, it's nice to meet you… Claire."

"Claire?" I blinked.

She smirked. "What do you think?"

I sighed. "It's okay, I guess."

"It's perfect!" Aerith winked, nudging me with her elbow. "Anyway, we're almost there. You'd better be ready, Clo—I mean, Claire. Madam M told me it's actually pretty rare for Andrea to take a personal interest in someone. He knows who you really are and why we're going into the mansion, though—she explained everything to him. So we'll march in there, talk with him, and get you your letter."

When we finally got to the Honeybee Inn, the doorman ushered us inside. To the left was a long, polished wood reception desk, and a soft red carpet lay over the black and white checked floor. Vases filled with silk flowers stood here and there, and past the desk, a set of stairs led to the second floor. A pair of cushioned sofas and a table sat on the other side of the room, with a few people there waiting, and just ahead of us, two wooden double doors stood closed.

The receptionist—a young guy wearing a yellow and black suit and tie—greeted us. "Good evening, ladies. And welcome to Wall Market's most famous entertainment extravaganza, the Honeybee Inn. How can I be of service? Is there a honeyboy or honeygirl whose company you'd enjoy sharing on this fine night?"

Aerith laughed. "No, thank you. We're here to see Andrea Rhodea. He's expecting us. Aerith and Claire."

"Ah, yes. Claire Farron?" the receptionist glanced at me. "I've been given instructions to send you and your friend Aerith through without delay. Please make your way to the stage."

"What stage?" I asked.

He pointed to the double doors. "The one in the back, ma'am. Just through those doors and down the hall."

I nodded, heading with Aerith through the lobby until we reached the doors. After pushing them open, we entered a six-sided room with a fountain in the middle. Like the room, it had six sides. I was halfway to the next set of doors when I suddenly stopped as I realized what the receptionist had called me.

Aerith looked me. "Cloud? I-I mean, Claire?"

"Nothing," I said. "Just… not used to being called ma'am. And lady. It feels a little… weird. No offense."

"None taken," she giggled.

I shrugged. "Guess we know the disguise works."

She grinned. "It sure does! But you know, you should probably try to do something about your voice."

"My voice?" I asked.

"Well, it's kinda deep," she said. "Try using a higher pitch."

I did as she said. "Um, like this?"

Aerith burst out laughing, her hands flying to her mouth. "Oh, that is _so_ cute, Cloud! But, uh… we'll work on it, okay?"

"It's Claire," I reminded her.

"Whoops," she chuckled. "Anyway, let's go. Andrea's waiting for us. Do whatever you've gotta do to impress him."

I sighed. "I know, Aerith. I will."

Taking a breath, I went through the door to the stage, Aerith right behind me. The room was a large lounge area, with over a dozen tables set out in staggered levels that descended toward the actual stage itself. Each of the tables was built like a booth and had six sides, and a single candle burned in the middle of every one. The bottom two sides of the tables were open to the stage, and the cushioned seating was along the top four. I looked around but didn't see Andrea.

"Well, just look at you, darling," a familiar voice said.

I looked to my right to see Madam M walking to one of the tables. "Yeah, I know. Where do I find Andrea?"

She smiled. "Oh, don't worry. He'll find you."

"Gonna be a helluva show," another voice drawled.

"Sam!" Aerith waved. "Hi!"

I looked to my left, and there he was. "You're here, too? And what's this about a show? We watching something?"

He tipped his hat to me. "Oh, _we_ are. But not you."

I didn't get it. "What's that mean?"

"Oh!" Aerith exclaimed, squealing in delight. "Are you guys saying that Cloud's gonna be—"

"And here's the lady of the hour!" another girl cheered.

I blinked as three honeygirls suddenly converged on me. They had skimpy black leotards trimmed with gold, matching lace stockings that covered their legs all the way up to their hips, black high heels, flowers made out of silk in their hair, and makeup on their faces. The girls also wore slim black headbands with curving antennae on top, a set of large plastic wings on their backs, and a plastic, black and gold bee's tail with a stinger. They giggled as they surrounded me.

"Chosen by Andrea himself!" one of them announced.

The third girl took my hand. "You're our honored guest, honey. So come this way! We've got a table just for you!"

One of her friends laughed. "The show's about to start!"

Giving Aerith a helpless glance as she followed us, I sighed and let the honeygirls lead me over to the table, where they sat us down before joining us on either side. Aerith was smirking the whole time, not even trying to keep a straight face. Then the lights dimmed and more of the honeygirls and honeyboys entered the stage.

They started spinning and dancing, flitting across the stage. In the back was a giant flower of pink and green plastic. It was closed for now, but when the dancers and the music reached a crescendo, it opened to reveal a man who could only have been Andrea.

He wore a dark purple outfit that was almost black, and it had gold trim like the honeygirls' suits, a high collar, long tails in the back, and a wide open chest with a weblike pattern of fabric across it. Short sleeves went almost to his elbows and had the same design, like a web. He also wore a pair of shiny black shoes on his feet, and his brown hair was cut very short along with his thin beard.

Suddenly I felt myself being thrust up on stage as the honeygirls on either side of me pulled me up and gave me a playful push before I had even realized what was happening. I stumbled up there, not sure what I was supposed to do, and then straightened and walked toward Andrea, understanding now what Sam had meant.

Andrea held out his hand. "Welcome to the Honeybee Inn, Claire. You seek to earn my approval, but to do that, you must first prove that you know how to move. Only then will you win me over. So tell me, do you think you can follow my lead?"

I had to… _dance?_ There didn't seem to be any doubt about it. But I didn't have a choice if I wanted to rescue Tifa and get back to Jessie. So I reluctantly resigned myself to doing this little exercise. Thinking of it like that helped a little, so I blocked out the crowd as best I could as the music kicked in again and we got started.

It went better than I'd expected, and I kept up with Andrea's moves pretty well, spinning across the stage and stepping to the beat. It wasn't so different from battle, where you have to keep your eyes on whatever you're fighting at all times. I just watched what he was doing and acted to match it the best I could. From the cheers of the crowd, they seemed to like it, Aerith in particular.

"Yeah, work it, Claire! Keep it up!" she grinned, clapping her hands above her head and dancing in her seat. "Woo-hoo! What a show! You go, girl! You're a star! A superstar! _Yes!"_

Then several six-sided platforms rose up on stage around us as the honeygirls and honeyboys kept on dancing. But Andrea and I were the main attraction. A sign at the back of the stage read "Honeybee Inn" in bright lights as our moves carried us back and forth amidst a collection of sound and color. He bent me over backward, gazed deep in my eyes, and smiled contentedly as I stared at him.

"Perfection," he murmured. Then he let me up and stood back. "I'll make you into a vision of beauty, Claire. An avatar of grace. You have a good start, but I will finish it for you."

He snapped his fingers, and two honeyboys brought out a chair of black wood while a pair of honeygirls sat me down in it. Then the four of them all crowded in and put makeup on me. Although they worked quickly, they weren't sloppy, and when they finally moved away and the crowd could see me, Aerith gasped in delight.

Andrea offered his hand. "You have won my favor, Claire. Now, let us finish the show and take our bows. And when it is over, come speak with me upstairs. I'll be waiting for you."

I took it, and we bowed as confetti burst around us. Then I stepped off stage and headed over to see Aerith. She looked ecstatic, smiling ear to ear, and I knew she had enjoyed every minute of my performance. I was ready to move on, though. In a hurry. But Sam and Madam M saw me and came over before I could get away.

"My, don't we look stunning?" Madam M quipped. "Not that I had any doubt. Aerith told me about your little plan and that you'd enlisted Gant and his daughter to help you prepare. They did an excellent job, I must say. I'll have to give them my regards."

"Can't say I ever understood why you gals go to so much trouble to gussy yourselves up like that," Sam said.

She narrowed her eyes. "And I doubt you ever will."

Sam blinked and scratched his beard. "What's with the attitude, M? I say somethin' wrong?"

"Far more than you know," she huffed, fanning herself. She turned to me again. "Now, off you go, Cloud. Good luck. And don't forget that Corneo plays for keeps. Andrea will fill you in on the rest and give you your letter, so don't keep him waiting."

I nodded. "Understood."

Aerith bounced along beside me as we headed to the doors. "That was incredible, Cloud! You were amazing! Too bad Jessie wasn't here to see it. She would've _definitely_ loved it!"

"Yeah, I know," I said. "But remember, Aerith. Not a word."

"Party pooper!" she stuck her tongue out at me.

I opened my mouth to reply, then shut it again. There was no point arguing with her about it. I knew if Jessie ever found out about tonight and my little dancing routine, she'd tease me mercilessly about it. With plenty of help from Aerith, no doubt.

When we entered the room with the fountain, I realized there were four other doors, two on each side. Before I could stop her, Aerith went to the first one on the right, giggling all the way. She probably would've explored every foot of this place if we'd had the time. Shaking my head in resignation, I decided it couldn't hurt to let her indulge her curiosity for a few minutes before we moved on.

The room we entered was a spa of some kind, with a hot tub on the far end and a large painted mural along the back wall. Opposite the tub was a king-sized bed with a thick blue comforter, and a finely-knit rug lay across the floor. It was a suite of some kind, and as steam wafted up from the water, I realized what it was for. From Aerith's knowing grin, I knew she had figured it out as well.

"Mmm, nice…" she smirked. "I bet you and Jessie could have a lot of fun in here, Cloud. Especially in the jacuzzi."

I blushed fiercely. _"_ _Aerith!"_

She winked. "Aw, look at you! You are _so_ adorable! Throw in some soft music, pretty flowers—from me, of course—and chocolate and it'll be perfect! Jessie _loves_ chocolate, you know."

"I, uh…" I stammered.

"Well, that settles it!" Aerith laughed, her hands on her hips. "Once we save Tifa, stop Corneo, and everything's calmed down again, you're gonna bring Jessie back here and woo her with a night of romance and passion! We'll reserve the room before we leave!"

My eyes widened. "W-What? I mean—"

Before I could finish, a sharp pain suddenly shot through my right temple, and I gasped, grabbing it and gritting my teeth. Wincing at the throbbing in my head, I was barely aware of Aerith calling my name as my eyes slid shut and I bent over. And then I heard another voice, this one in my mind. The young boy, talking to me again like he had before I'd first met Aerith in her old church.

— _Hey. What do you think you're doing here? —_

_I could ask you the same thing._

— _You're not gonna change anything by just thinking about it. She'll die if you don't act. You know that. —_

_How can I save her? What do I need to do?_

— _It all comes down to time. —_

_What do you mean?_

— _You're gonna have to make a choice, buddy. And you'll only have a split second to decide. Go one way, and she'll survive. Go the other, and she'll die. Time is everything. And hers is running out. —_

_What choice? I don't understand._

— _You will. In the meantime, be careful and watch yourself. He's out there now, awakening. Calling to the others. And you. It's begun moving._ _Waiting for him. Everything starts here. —_

Then the voice was gone, and I was back in the world again. I felt a soft hand on my arm and looked to my right to see Aerith gazing at me in concern. The pain had vanished as well, and as I looked at her, I let go of my head and straightened up again.

"Cloud?" Aerith asked, letting go of me. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," I answered.

Worry filled her face as we left the room. "Don't scare me like that! You just doubled over all of a sudden."

"Sorry," I said. "It caught me by surprise, too."

"Has this happened to you before?" Aerith wondered.

I nodded. "Now and then."

She sighed. "I don't like it, Cloud. And I'm gonna take a good look at you later on. I know a few tricks for healing bumps and bruises, and some things that go deeper. Sometimes I help Mom at the clinic, doing what I can to mend people's hurts. You remember me telling you how I took care of Jessie after she fought that hell house?"

"Yeah," I said. "She was in pretty bad shape, wasn't she?"

"Very bad. She'd have died if I hadn't found her and Maddy when I did. Took more than a healing wind to keep her with us. Though I did use a few of those as well when I could."

I froze about halfway to the fountain and stared at her. "More? Just how strong a healer are you, Aerith?"

"Strong enough," she said. "Tires me out, though."

I wasn't surprised. "Do the Turks know?"

Aerith didn't respond, and that told me all I needed. It made sense that her unique abilities were part of why the Turks were after her. But where did they come from? I didn't understand. Reno had said she was an Ancient, but what did that mean? Who where they? There were too many unanswered questions. I couldn't do anything about it right now, though, so I just sighed and moved on, following Aerith as she walked toward the door at the bottom of the room.

After going back to the lobby, we talked with the receptionist again and followed him upstairs, where he led us to a door at the far end of a short hall on the left side. After he was gone, we went inside and found ourselves in a large, luxurious suite with several cushioned chairs and a polished wooden desk in the main room.

Andrea was waiting for us. "Welcome. Please, sit down."

We did, settling into two of the chairs as he sat down in one across from us. I met his firm gaze. "The letter?"

"In a moment," he said. "You know what you're in for?"

"We're going into Corneo's mansion to rescue a friend," I told him. "We know what we're doing."

Aerith nodded. "We're gonna save Tifa."

"I have no doubt," Andrea said. "And don't worry. Your equipment will be delivered to you at the appropriate time. I know people, and we of the Trio have eyes inside the mansion."

I nodded. "Alright. Thanks."

"Mr. Rhodea," Aerith said. "Before we go, there's something I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind."

He smiled. "Of course. And please, call me Andrea."

She leaned forward. "What do you know about Firebrand? Madam M said you two were old friends."

"She is correct," Andrea said. "Firebrand once lived on the plate. A young woman of talent and beauty. But she had also endured much by the time we met. In the midst of her pain, she was trying to find herself again. So I did everything I could to help her."

"What'd you do?" I asked.

He went on. "I have a second establishment on the plate, and after consulting with a mutual friend of ours, I met her and transformed her much as I did you, Cloud. I tested her in the same way as well, to make certain she was ready to return to the stage."

I blinked. "She was a performer?"

"Yes, and extremely talented. It was her passion, a dream reborn. I wonder sometimes how high she could have soared if things had been different. But fate led her to the slums, and I lost contact with her for a time. When I saw her again here in Wall Market, she had changed. Yet her strength and determination were still the same as ever. So I helped her with her theft, and gladly. I gave her the letter of approval, just as I will give you yours. Madam M did the rest."

"Can you tell us who she is?" Aerith gazed hopefully at him.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry. After she left, the three of us made a promise to keep her identity secret, as Madam M has already told you. This was for her protection. Our way of thanking her for what she did. We also encouraged the growth of her legend amongst the people here, to give them hope in the face of Corneo's power and lust. It's much too dangerous for us to act against him directly, but our position allows us to try and minimize the damage he can do."

Aerith nodded. "If you ever stood openly against him, you'd lose it along with everything else. Even your lives. Firebrand must've been the first person to really threaten him."

"She did what you couldn't," I added.

"Correct," Andrea agreed. "Don Corneo has many men who serve him, animals who would kill without a thought. And he has used them before, to remind us of our place in the order of things here. Bodies of dead women, found in pieces near the sewers. If we tried to bring him down, there would be far more. And we couldn't allow that. Firebrand gave us the means and the opportunity to act against Corneo in secret, without risking harm to anyone else."

"You really care about this place, don't you?" Aerith said.

He folded his hands together. "Yes, Aerith. All three of us do. Wall Market is our home, and its people our family. We hope one day to see Don Corneo and his men gone from this place. And I feel that you two may play a part in making that happen. Firebrand set it in motion, but I believe you and Cloud can finish it."

Aerith's gaze was determined. "We will, Andrea."

"I have no doubt," he smiled, getting up. "Now then, I believe I owe you a letter, Cloud. Wait here for a moment."

Crossing the room, Andrea walked over to his desk, opened up the top drawer, and took out the letter. Then he took a pen, signed it with a flourish, and brought it over to me. It had a seal in the shape of a black and yellow honeybee on the bottom.

I took it. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he said. "And good luck."

Aerith shook his hand as she and I stood up. "I appreciate it. Could you at least tell us where Firebrand went?"

Andrea thought for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. I believe I can trust you with that much. As Sam and Madam M have told you by now, she helped him. Sam's end of the bargain was to give her a ride on one of his carriages to her destination."

"Where did he take her?" Aerith wondered.

He gazed intently at us. "Sector 7."

Aerith and I shared a startled glance. Firebrand was in Sector 7? It made sense, though. Sam had said she hadn't gone far. Still well within Corneo's reach. No wonder the Trio had kept her identity and location secret. She must've used a different name during her theft than her real one to make it harder for him to find her later.

But that had been two years ago. And there was no way to know if she was still in Sector 7 after all this time. Still, we knew where to start looking for her. After we had saved Tifa and gotten back there. So I put it out of my mind for now as Aerith gave me a puzzled shrug and went with me to the door. She didn't seem to know any more than I did. But I felt like we were overlooking something.

It was probably nothing, but it nagged at me nevertheless. I had to admit, I'd gotten a little interested in the whole thing, but it wasn't why we were here. Aerith knew that as well as I did. And we'd have plenty of time to talk about it later. As tenacious as she was, I knew Aerith would keep digging until we finally found Firebrand.

Just before we left, though, she darted back over to Andrea, a small smirk on her face, and whispered something in his ear. He grinned and nodded, looking at me as he did, and then Aerith backed up, her green eyes glittering. What was she up to now? I found out a moment later as she came up to me and winked.

"Got you and Jessie your room," Aerith giggled.

Andrea bowed. "It will be ready whenever you arrive, Cloud. And I wish you and your lady friend a pleasant stay."

My jaw dropped. "What? But, uh… Aerith… I-I don't…"

"C'mon, Cloud!" she smirked. "Gotta go!"

After taking our leave of Andrea, we went downstairs and hurried out of the Honeybee Inn. Aerith and I ignored the cat calls and hungry whistles as we moved along the streets, and we didn't say very much on the way to Corneo's mansion. All our preparations were finished, and it was finally time to get this mission started.

The place loomed ominously ahead of us as we crossed the bridge, and a huge golden dragon statue wrapped sinuously around each wing of the estate. It was built like a pagoda, but shorter, with lots of red and yellow framed with dark wood. After gazing at it for a moment, I went with Aerith to the outer doors and pushed them open. We exchanged a determined glance, then hurried inside.


	41. FORTY

## FORTY

Leslie's eyes widened when he saw us. "No way…"

"Here you go!" Aerith smirked. "Two letters of approval, one from Madam M and one from Andrea Rhodea, all sealed and certified. That oughta do the trick, don't you think?"

"Damn!" one of the other two goons leered us. "They're really hot! Her _and_ her friend. Send 'em through, Les!"

Leslie took the letters. "You sure about this?"

Aerith nodded. "Yeah. We want in."

"I hope you know what you're doing," he sighed. "The women who go in here don't come out again."

"One did," she reminded him. "Firebrand."

He gave us the faintest ghost of a smile. "Putting your hopes in the legend, are you? Just don't get cocky."

Aerith winked. "Oh, we'll be fine. Don't worry."

"If you say so," Leslie said.

He motioned to the two thugs to move out of the way, then opened the inner doors. As we walked past him, he touched the brim of his cap and gave us a slight nod. That was all the message he could send at the moment since he wasn't alone, but it was enough. Looked like we were right about him. Leslie must've been the guy Andrea was talking about. I nodded back to him, letting him know I understood without saying a word. Then he closed the doors behind us.

After passing through a short hallway, we entered a large, six-sided room lined with three sets of double doors. A long wooden desk sat in front of the pair to the left with a sofa nearby. A few floor lamps stood here and there as well, round and bright as they lit up the red and gold of the mansion's interior. There were also wall scrolls, assorted art, and a collection of large painted pots in one corner.

On our right, a staircase rose up along that side of the room to the second floor, where three more sets of double doors stood closed. Don Corneo's office was probably up there, but we had to find Tifa first. We weren't alone, though. A guy in a gray suit, white shirt, and tie stood by the desk and snickered at us as we walked in.

"Evening, ladies," he said. "You here for the audition? I'll go let the Don know you've arrived. So just stay put. Don't go wandering around and puttin' your nose where it don't belong."

Then he disappeared through the doors behind him, leaving us by ourselves. I wondered why there weren't more of Corneo's lackeys here, but then I realized they probably didn't expect any trouble inside their own stronghold, especially from what they thought were two ordinary women. That could work to our advantage.

Aerith looked at me. "Now's our chance. Let's find Tifa."

"Right," I agreed. "Go try those doors in the back. I'll take the ones under the stairs. She's gotta be in one of these rooms."

We split up, Aerith hurrying to the top of the room while I went to the right. There was no telling how long Gray Suit would be gone, and while I figured we could throw off his suspicions by acting like we were lost or curious, I'd just as soon not have to deal with him. When I tried the doors, they didn't budge. They were locked.

"Nuts!" Aerith muttered.

I glanced over at her. "Yours locked, too?"

She sighed. "Yep. Bummer."

"Let's try upstairs," I said. "We'd better hurry. I don't think we have much time 'till our host gets back."

Once Aerith joined me, I led her carefully upstairs. The first set of doors were right at the top, so as soon as we reached the second floor, I went over and tried them. Again, locked. I sighed and moved on. Next to the second set of doors, a gold plaque was mounted on the wall. We stopped for a moment to read it and saw, just as I'd thought, that it said this was Don Corneo's office.

"Let's skip this one for now," Aerith suggested.

I had to agree. "Yeah. Come on."

She followed me to the far right and the third pair of double doors. "Where could she be? I hope we can find her."

"We will," I replied.

This time, the doors were unlocked. I opened them and saw a long set of stone stairs descending into a gloomy cellar. Aerith and I quickly made our way down. The walls glistened with moisture, and the damp air hung heavily around us. At the bottom was a small cellar—a torture room from the looks of it. There was a rack, manacles on the wall, and a side table with other tools for causing pain. A furnace burned in one corner, and a chair with straps sat in another.

At the far end of the room was Tifa. She stood with her back to us, her head slightly bowed as if she were thinking. I started to go to her as soon as I saw her, but then I suddenly remembered what I was wearing and stopped, looking away. Aerith just laughed softly, patted me on the shoulder, and walked right over to her.

"Tifa?" she said. "Good to finally meet you. I'm Aerith, by the way. Cloud's told me a lot about you."

She held out her hand. After a moment, Tifa took it and smiled. "I remember you. From Evergreen Park. You were with Cloud behind the carriage. He and I are old friends."

Aerith smiled. "That's the best kind, right?"

"Yeah," Tifa agreed. "So how did you two meet, Aerith?"

She grinned impishly as she looked back at me. "Well, Cloud? You gonna tell her or not? Don't be shy."

"Cloud?" Tifa gaped, staring at me. "Is that you?"

I swallowed. "Uh, yeah. Hi, Tifa."

She brushed past Aerith and hurried over to me. "That dress! And the makeup! And… is that perfume?"

"Nailed it, I know," I said. "Moving on."

Tifa chuckled. "Sure. Guess that was the only way you could get in here, huh? Thanks for backing me up."

I nodded. "Anytime."

"So how'd you meet Aerith?" she asked.

"Landed in her church in Sector 5," I explained. "Fell right through the roof and into her flowerbed. Good thing I did, though. It broke my fall. We were on our way back to Sector 7 when we saw you in the park and came after you. That's about it."

Tifa gazed at me in wonder. "You and Jessie were right…"

"About what?" I asked.

"That you could survive a fall from the plate," she answered. "She's really worried about you, by the way. She misses you. I'm surprised you haven't run into her, though. She was all set to go looking for you when I left. You haven't seen her?"

I shook my head. "No. She might still be in Sector 7."

Tifa paced a little. "Could be. Barret's pretty upset with her because she didn't tell us about working for Shinra, so he probably didn't let her go. I told him to work things out with her, but it sounds like he's being stubborn again. Can't say I'm surprised."

"I'll handle it," I frowned.

"No doubt about that," she smirked. "I've gotta wonder what Jessie would think if she could see you right now, though. She and the others would get a kick out of it, that's for sure."

I sighed. "Not a word."

"He told me the same thing," Aerith giggled. "I think he's just a tad embarrassed about it."

"Figures," Tifa grinned.

I folded my arms in front of me. "You girls done?"

"Yeah," she said. "But I thought I told you to head back to Sector 7. I can handle the likes of Corneo."

"You think I'd let you do this alone?" I asked.

Tifa smiled. "Still keeping your promise, aren't you?"

I nodded. "Of course. So why'd you come here, Tifa? What's this all about? I found out earlier that Corneo's got his thugs all over the slums looking for Avalanche. Did you run into any?"

"Yeah," she said. "Several of them, not long after Barret and I made it back home from Reactor 5. They were asking everyone around town about Barret and where to find him. You remember Derla, right? That gossip that's been hounding us for weeks?"

"She sold us out, didn't she?" I grimaced. "Damn…"

Tifa frowned. "She did, Cloud. And I made sure before I came here to let her know just how a big a mistake that was. Anyway, those thugs tried to grab Jessie and I and force us back here to be bridal candidates for Corneo. We kicked their asses, though."

"I'll bet," I smirked.

"We brought 'em down hard," she chuckled. "And when it was over, we made them talk. That's when we found out Corneo was looking for us. But not why. His men didn't know."

Aerith nodded. "So you came here to find out."

Tifa sighed. "Right. But now I'm stuck. You see, I thought I'd be the only girl, but I'm just one of three. Jessie never mentioned it being that way when she was here a few years ago."

"She was here!?" I stared at her, my eyes widening.

Aerith gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "No. Way! It all fits! Two years ago… about the same time Jessie left Sector 5. She was going to Sector 7! And before she left, I told her to stop by Wall Market to get a ride through the gate! Cloud, it's her!"

Tifa blinked. "You know Jessie?"

"Yeah," Aerith answered. "We're old friends. I'll tell you it later. But are you sure Jessie was here before, Tifa? And that it was two years ago? If she's who I think she is… Oh, wow!"

"That's right, but… I don't understand," she said.

I suddenly did, though, and my jaw hit the floor. "What did she tell you? Did she say what happened?"

Tifa looked at me. "Yeah. Don Corneo had gotten angry with Sam, the guy that runs the chocobo carriages, so he took away the key to the Sector 7 gate. Jessie overheard everything, then agreed to steal it back if Sam would give her a ride to Sector 7."

"And she did…" I breathed. "Damn, but she did!"

Aerith grinned. "I knew it! She came here, met Sam, and made that deal. Then she got the letter from Andrea—her old friend, remember? She was an actress on the plate! Just like he said! After that, she must've gone to Madam M for her dress. Then she came here, confronted Don Corneo, took the gate key, torched his pet, and escaped! Cloud, do you know what this means? Jessie is Firebrand!"

Tifa looked at us in confusion. "Who's Firebrand?"

"A local legend," I explained.

"Wait 'till she finds out!" Aerith beamed. "She's the first girl to ever escape from Corneo's mansion, Tifa. It caused quite a stir after she left. People here don't know her real name—they call her Firebrand because of her hair and the grenade she intimidated Corneo with. She's a myth, a story around town. But she's also someone that a lot of young women here look up to thanks to what she did."

Tifa smiled. "Wow! I'm sure she has no idea…"

Aerith laughed. "Nope! But we'll tell her together as soon as we get back to Sector 7. Sound good?"

"Yeah, it sure does!" Tifa agreed.

"Great!" Aerith said. "Then that's settled!"

I was still amazed at what we'd found out. "So… Jessie is Firebrand. It was right in front of us the whole time, Aerith. Everything we found out about her. I should've seen it sooner."

"Well, we _were_ kinda busy," she pointed out. "But anyway, we've got to figure out a plan. And I think I know what to do."

"What've you got in mind?" Tifa asked.

Aerith stood next to me. "Meet the other two candidates, Tifa! You don't have to worry anymore. If we're all in, then it doesn't matter who Corneo picks. Nothing can go wrong!"

She nodded. "I guess not…"

"It's too dangerous!" I argued. "Besides, I don't feel right letting you get involved in all this."

Aerith put her hands on her hips. "I'm already involved. You and I came here to help Tifa. Both of us. I know the kind of place this is, and I'm not gonna let my new friend go it alone."

I frowned. "I know, but—"

"What, you think it's okay if Tifa's in danger but not me?" she went on. "I told you before, Cloud. I'm not a helpless daisy. I can take care of myself. Been doing it all my life."

"I don't want her in danger, either," I sighed.

Tifa looked at her. "Are you sure about this, Aerith?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Risk is part of the game when you've grown up in the slums. I was raised here. I'll be fine."

"Thank you," Tifa murmured.

"Sure," Aerith took her shoulder. "You trust me, right?"

Tifa put her hand over hers. "I do, Aerith."

Just then, Gray Suit appeared at the top of the stairs. "Ladies! Time to go! The audition's about to start, and the Don's waitin'. Told ya not to wander around. Damn, women these days…"

"We'd better go," Tifa said.

Aerith nodded as Gray Suit walked away. "Right. They might start to suspect something if we don't hurry. So let's play along for now, girls. We'll make our move later."

I let out a long sigh. "Guess I don't need to ask, but… I'm the third candidate, right? Approved by Andrea…"

"Nailed it!" Aerith giggled. "You didn't need…"

"To ask," Tifa finished.

Aerith beckoned to me. "C'mon, Claire. This way!"

" _Claire?"_ Tifa laughed.

I grimaced. "Let's just get this done."

She chuckled as we went upstairs. "Okay… Claire."

* * *

The guy in the gray suit stood by the middle set of double doors as I made my way back out onto the second floor with Aerith and Cloud. He leered at us, then pushed open the doors and swept his left arm out in front of him before standing back.

"The Don's waiting inside," he snickered.

We filed into Corneo's office one at a time. It was large, dominated by a wide, polished wooden desk and a long red rug featuring a pair of dark green intertwined dragons. A few pale yellow lamps lit the room, and just behind the desk was an open doorway framed by silk curtains. I was sure it led to his bedroom, and at that thought, I took a breath to steady myself. I wondered if Jessie had felt as nervous as I did now. She had overcome it, though, and she'd been all by herself. I had my friends with me. I could do this. I _would_ do it.

Two men were waiting for us. One was dark-skinned, with a blond mohawk, a sleeveless orange vest, a pair of faded blue jeans, and brown boots. As for the other guy, he wore a green silk shirt, black slacks, and matching shoes. His hair was brown, cut short on the sides, and tied in the back. Both men's eyes were hidden by sunglasses, and I found I was glad I couldn't see them looking at us.

"Ah, my beautiful ladies!" the dark-skinned man greeted us. "This is Scotch, and I'm Kotch. And you're tonight's candidates. Now that we all know each other, line up for the Don!"

We did as we were told, standing in a row across the room. I stood on the far right, Aerith in the middle, and Cloud at the far left. I had to admit, he actually looked pretty convincing. Kotch and Scotch grinned and walked back and forth in front of us, eying each of us hungrily. As much as I wanted to kick both their asses, I kept still. Scotch paused in front of Cloud and rubbed his chin.

"Hmm… have we met before?" he asked. "You look kinda familiar. I'd never forget such a pretty face."

Cloud didn't answer. At first, I thought Scotch was wrong, but then I remembered Cloud telling me a few days ago about how he and Jessie had escaped from Scotch and his thugs while buying the explosives for the Reactor 1 mission. I held my breath and watched closely, hoping he wouldn't recognize him through the disguise.

Finally, Scotch sighed and stepped away. "Ah, forget it."

"Good to go?" Kotch said. Then he went on. "Alright. Time for you ladies to finally meet Wall Market's most eligible bachelor! The Lord of Love himself, Don Corneo!"

A moment later, a short, pudgy man peered out at us from behind one side of the curtains behind the desk. He crossed the room, hungry as could be, and I shuddered at the sight of him as he looked us over as if we were items on a shelf. Don Corneo was middle-aged, overweight, and ugly. He had a thin strip of blond hair on his head that was shaved on both sides—what was it with thugs and mohawks, anyway? And he also had a thin moustache above his wide lips.

Corneo wore a red, fur-lined jacket over a white collared shirt. The top few buttons had been left unfastened, revealing a hairy and—in my opinion—completely unattractive chest. Brown pants covered his legs, and several gaudy rings decorated his fingers. A round gold medallion hung around his neck, and the word "love" was tattooed on one side of his head above a red heart. Tacky and sick.

"Ladies!" he spread his arms out wide. "How lovely to meet you all! Now, who shall I pick? Hmm…"

He scurried toward us, inspecting us one at a time while Kotch and Scotch watched from the corners of the room. Corneo went to me first, then Aerith, and finally Cloud. Then he went back down the line, and I had to sit on a powerful urge to see how far I could stick my foot in his face when he started undressing me with his eyes. He talked to himself as he went, trying to figure out who to choose.

"Shall I pick you?" Corneo glanced at Cloud. Then he walked back to Aerith. "Or maybe you? Let's see…"

She smirked. "Having trouble deciding?"

"I'm thinkin'!" he snapped. Then he came back to me, his dark eyes eager. I wanted to throw up. Corneo grinned. "I've made up my mind! And tonight's bride-to-be is…"

"Pathetic," Cloud spat, his lip curling in disgust.

Corneo whirled around. "Huh? Who said that? Which of you little bimbos thinks she can mouth off to me?"

Cloud didn't let up. "Scumbag."

"You!" Corneo bolted over to him. "Oh, you've got quite the mouth on you! And I'm really gonna enjoy breaking it in! Today's lucky lady is the big-boned girl! Healthy-looking, too."

"Wait a minute!" Cloud argued. "I-I mean—"

Corneo rubbed his hands together. "Yowza! I love it when you play hard to get! This is gonna be fun! Come on, missy. I'll show you how to have a good time. You can have the rest, boys!"

Scotch pumped his fists. "Hell yeah!"

"Alright, ladies! This way!" Kotch indicated the doors we had come in from. "You're keepin' us company tonight."

As Aerith and I followed them out of the office, I glanced over my shoulder to see Don Corneo leading Cloud eagerly into his bedroom. I was sure he could make that slimeball talk, but I wanted to get in there and help him as soon as I could. Aerith and I just had to get away from Corneo's thugs first. And I knew exactly how to do it.

Kotch and Scotch brought us over to the first set of doors, the ones by the stairs. After unlocking them, they pushed them open and led us inside. It was a living area, with sofas, cushions, a TV, a small table, and a few chairs. In the far corner, another door stood open, leading into a bathroom. There were four other men in here, including Black Tail, the goon I'd first encountered in Sector 7.

"Hey, guys!" Scotch called while Kotch closed the doors behind us. "We've got guests! Gifts from the Don. And we get to entertain 'em! So don't ever forget about his generosity."

Black Tail grinned. "Yeah. He always provides."

Scotch turned toward us. "So, ladies… you ready to get to it?"

"Yep!" Aerith winked at me. "What about you, Tifa?"

I smirked. "Let's see… six guys between the two of us. Nothing we can't handle. Let's not keep Cloud waiting."

"Right," she agreed, readying herself.

"What the hell?" one of the other thugs sneered when I brought up my fists. "This some kinda joke?"

I told him it wasn't with a quick three-punch combo that ended in a right cross to his jaw. He fell sprawling to the floor in a tangled heap. Aerith followed me, kicking another goon in the stomach, and we both easily evaded the grabbing arms of the other four men still standing as their angry shouts suddenly filled the air.

Kicking off my heels so I could move more easily, I spun around to catch Kotch in the chest with a high roundhouse that threw him into a nearby wall. I didn't let up, rushing in and pounding him with a flurry of rapid punches. When he reached for me, I grabbed him and used his momentum to throw him over my shoulder.

Taking after Jessie, I ran straight at the wall and jumped, bouncing right off it to launch myself into a backward somersault kick just as she had done to me in our sparring match. I slammed Kotch in the chest as he was getting up, and he crashed to the floor again. Only this time, he didn't get up. Three down, three to go.

One, actually. Aerith laid another goon out with a swift kick to the groin, jamming the tip of her high heel into his crotch, then grabbed a folding chair by the legs as he collapsed. Scotch took a swing at her, but she was too fast, dodging the punch and smashing him across the face with the chair. He staggered, his eyes widening as she closed in on him, the chair held high over her head in both hands.

"No, no!" he said. "Wait!"

Aerith grinned. "Nighty-night!"

She slammed the chair right down onto Scotch's face and head, and he dropped to the floor like a rock. That left only Black Tail. I turned to him, fists ready as he backed slowly away from me. As I started to close in on him, I made a little beckoning motion.

"Remember me?" I smirked.

His eyes widened in recognition. "Oh, shit…"

Then I glanced at Aerith, who was halfway between us and almost directly in my path. "Get down!"

She did as I said, ducking onto her hands and knees. I ran, jumped right over her, and launched myself into an aerial spin kick that hurled Black Tail backward across the room. He crashed through the window behind him and flew outside with a shriek.

Aerith stood up. "Nice kick!"

"Thanks, Aerith," I told her. "You did great!"

"Nothing compared to you, though," she giggled. "Didn't know you could kick so much ass. I like it!"

I gave her a high five. "We make a good team."

"The best!" Aerith agreed.

Casually brushing my hands off, I walked over to the unconscious goons and smiled. "Just the way I like 'em. Dumb, ugly, and out for the count. Now that's what I call a win."

Aerith joined me. "Think we should tie 'em up?"

Before I could answer, the doors suddenly burst open. Aerith and I whirled around, fists and chair raised, but it was only Leslie. He paused just inside the doorway, then took a step back. He was carrying a large bag in one hand and Aerith's staff in the other. My handbag hung from his shoulder—one of Corneo's goons had taken it from me when I had first gotten here—and Leslie had Cloud's huge sword on his back. Then I remembered what Jessie had said about him.

"You here to help?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Andrea filled me in on the situation. So I've got your gear, courtesy of him and Madam M. I'll do what I can to get this mess cleaned up, so go finish the job."

I relaxed as Aerith did the same. "We will."

"Thanks!" she said, putting the chair down. "Oh, but where are the other two guys who were with you?"

"Put some sleep juice in their beer," Leslie explained. "Then carried 'em to one of the living areas on the first floor. They'll be out for hours. And when they come to, they'll just think they had too much to drink. Happens around here all the time."

I wasn't surprised. "I'll bet it does."

"Be right back!" Aerith said, taking her things.

She disappeared into the bathroom to get changed while Leslie got to work tying up Kotch, Scotch, and the rest with ropes he'd brought in the bag. I decided to give him a hand while I waited for Aerith to finish up. It didn't take long, and soon we had the goons all lined up in a row along the far wall, neatly trussed.

Leslie nodded to me. "Thanks for the help."

"Sure," I smiled. "You were there for a friend of mine a couple years ago—Jessie. She told me. Thank you."

"No problem," he said.

Aerith came out a moment later. "All yours, Tifa!"

Quickly taking my handbag from Leslie, I went into the bathroom, closed the door behind me, and got changed. Then I washed off all the makeup and put on my leather fighting gloves and wrist guard—Leslie, it seemed, had given me an upgrade. Instead of the bronze bangle that I'd been using, I found a new mythril bangle in my bag. I was willing to bet he'd gotten Aerith one as well. My ice materia was still in there, too, securely fitted into one of the slots.

She was waiting for me when I got out. "Ready?"

"Yeah," I answered. "You?"

"Definitely!" Aerith hefted her staff.

Leslie glanced at us. "You'd better hurry. I'll stick around and keep an eye on things here. Good luck."

"Same to you," I said.

"Let's go find Cloud," Aerith sped toward the door.

After Leslie gave me Cloud's gear and sword, I followed Aerith into the upstairs hall. "Corneo's bedroom—behind his office. That's gotta be where he is, Aerith. Come on!"

Racing through the mansion, we hurried to find Cloud.


	42. FORTY-ONE

## FORTY-ONE

Corneo's large bedroom was just as tacky and tasteless as the rest of his mansion. It was lit in red and pink with a huge canopied bed in the middle of it, complete with silk sheets and a purple comforter. Carpets covered the floor, and off to one side, the door to his private bathroom stood open. The headboard was solid gold and made into the shape of a writhing dragon, and a small table with a camera lying on it stood by the wall. What a sick, twisted creep.

He jumped onto the bed and leered at me. "Alone at last! Come on over and give daddy some sugar! Don't be shy! You're even cuter than I thought! I never get tired of looking at ya."

"Back off," I growled.

"Oh, yes!" Corneo laughed. "This kitten's got claws! I love it, baby! Now just stay right there!"

Scurrying off the bed, he went over to the side table, picked up the camera, and started taking pictures of me. I folded my arms across my chest and looked away, not the least bit surprised at what he was doing. Then I remembered Jessie had been here, too. My hands clenched into fists at the thought of Corneo drooling over her. He'd probably taken a bunch of pictures of her, too. Bastard.

"The hell are you doing?" I demanded.

He snickered. "Just a few pictures to preserve the moment. And to ensure you don't do anything inappropriate, like say 'no'. That wouldn't be a good idea. So don't worry your pretty head."

My eyes narrowed. "Asshole."

"Yes, give it to me!" Corneo crooned. "Praise me more! Don't stop! Tell me what a bad boy I am!"

"You depraved son of a bitch!" I snarled.

He took another picture. "Oh, now we're talkin'! Yes!"

Tossing the camera aside, Corneo ran back to the bed and jumped on, a hungry, eager grin on his face. Knowing that he'd surely looked at Jessie the same way only pissed me off even more. Only the fact that he had information we needed kept me from kicking his demented ass on the spot. But once we had it, all bets were off.

"Here I come!" Corneo cackled.

He leaped off the bed toward me, his arms out wide, but I saw him coming and sent him flying back into the headboard with a swift, high roundhouse kick. Corneo grunted at the impact as he slammed into it, and when he landed and shook himself off, he snarled, livid with rage as he charged at me on his hands and knees.

"Who the hell said you could do that, you bitch!?" he yelled. "Boys! Get in here and teach her some manners!"

Just then, the doors burst open behind me. I whirled around, but it was only Aerith and Tifa, back in their normal clothes and fully armed. Tifa had my things, and she handed them over with a relieved smile as soon as she saw me. Then she and Aerith turned their attention back to Corneo, their eyes hardening as they closed in.

Tifa smirked. "No one's coming to help you, Don. We had to teach your boys some manners, too."

"Go get changed, Cloud," Aerith said. "We'll watch him."

"What the—!?" Corneo sputtered.

I ducked into his bathroom while the girls kept a close eye on him. It didn't take very long for me to get out of that dress and back into my black merc's uniform. I took off the wig and high heels, cleaned off the makeup, and slid Buster into its usual place on my back, finally feeling like myself again. Then I opened the door and strode out. When I did, Corneo's eyes bulged in their sockets.

"A man!?" he gaped. "You tricked me! What's going on?"

Aerith spun her staff. "Shut up!"

" _We'll_ be asking the questions," Tifa glared at him. "Like, why'd you send your men over to Sector 7 to look for Avalanche? Spill it, Corneo! Now! If you don't tell us…"

I drew Buster. "I'll cut 'em off."

Corneo's hands flew to his crotch. "Okay, okay! I'll talk! I was paid to find some guy with a gun for an arm."

"Just as I thought," Tifa said. "Paid by who?"

"No! They'll hunt me down like a dog if I tell you!" he wailed.

Tifa didn't budge. "Now! If you don't…"

Aerith took a step toward him. "I'll rip 'em off."

"It was the director of Peace Preservation himself!" Corneo shrank back. "General Heidegger! He's the one!"

"Shinra!?" Tifa grabbed his shirt. "What are they up to?"

He shook his head. "It's better if I don't…"

I tightened my grip on Buster. "I wouldn't be too sure of that. Pick your pain. If you don't tell us…"

"I'll smash 'em," Tifa clenched her fist.

"Oh, boy," Corneo chuckled. "You got me. Never could say no to a sexy girl. Avalanche has blown up two reactors, so Shinra's gonna wipe 'em out, home base and all. By targeting the support pillar and taking it out. The plate's all rigged and ready to go!"

Tifa staggered backward. "The pillar!? They wouldn't!"

"No!" Aerith gasped.

Don Corneo smashed his hands together, gleefully mimicking the sounds of an explosion. "It'll be just like Sector 6. I'm sure you all know what happened there. You've seen the wreckage. And that's what Sector 7's gonna look like by the end of the night."

"They're gonna destroy Sector 7!?" Tifa gaped. "An entire town!? It can't be! All those people…"

Aerith looked at us. "We've gotta go!"

I opened my mouth, but nothing would come out. Fear clutched at my heart as everything suddenly fell into place in my mind, hitting me so hard I stumbled backward. This was what I'd seen in my dreams and visions! Shinra had been attacking the pillar to destroy it! That terrible future was actually starting to happen! And then my blood ran cold as the full implications of what that meant hit me like a punch to the face and one single word filled my entire being.

_Jessie!_

If anything could get her to break her promise to me to not go into the pillar, this was it. She would fight to her very last breath to save her home and the people who lived there. I'd already seen it in my dreams, and if I didn't get back to her in time, it would happen for real. I had to save her! I couldn't let her die!

"You'll come with us, won't you, Cloud?" Tifa asked.

I nodded as I tightened my fist in resolve. "You're damn right, Tifa! Come on! We don't have much time!"

Tifa and I started to move, but Aerith turned to face Corneo again, her green eyes staring him down as she gripped her staff firmly in both hands. "Before we go, there's one other thing. Your men are watching a teenaged girl named Lydia. Gant's daughter. I know you're planning on having her brought in to be one of your brides."

"Eh? What about her?" Corneo slid toward the back of his bed.

"Leave her alone!" Aerith ordered. "After we've saved Sector 7, we'll be coming back here. So you'd better not be. Take your men, leave, and don't ever return to this place again."

He snorted. "And why would I do that?"

Aerith set his rug on fire with a short, sharp burst of flame. "Why? I'll tell you! Because you're through in this town, Corneo! And because when we come back here, we'll be bringing a friend of ours along with us. I believe you know her—Firebrand!"

"F-Firebrand!?" Corneo stammered. "That bitch?"

Tifa shattered one of the bedposts with a swift, spinning kick. "Call her that again and it'll be your leg next! We'll be back, and I know she'd love to reacquaint you with those special grenades of hers. Don't try to stand against the four of us. You'll lose."

Corneo sighed. "Guess I don't have a choice."

I glared at him. "None at all."

"But you do!" he cackled, standing by the headboard.

"Shut up!" I snapped, hurrying toward the door. The girls stood by me as I glared at him. "We don't have time for this!"

Corneo spread his arms out wide. "Oh, don't worry, it'll only take a moment. Now, as everyone knows, villains only divulge their dastardly plans in a certain situation. What would that be, hmm? What exactly is that situation? Can any of you tell me?"

I frowned. "When they've lost their minds, jackass."

"Close, but no cigar!" he laughed.

"Cloud!" Tifa's eyes widened as she looked at the floor. "We have to move! We're standing on the—"

But it was too late. Before we could jump back, Corneo pulled on a hidden lever set into the headboard, and the floor dropped open under our feet amidst his laughter. The girls shrieked as we fell, and then it all went dark as we tumbled down a long chute, faster and faster. Then we landed hard on a wet stone floor, gloom and stink all around us. When I looked up, I knew exactly where we were.

We were in the sewers.

Aerith and Tifa both lay in front of me, groaning a little and trying to pick themselves up. Once I got to my feet, I went to Aerith first. As I took her arm to help her up, pain suddenly shot through my head, and she looked at me and gasped. Visions of the pillar, of Jessie's death, ran through my mind again. Fire, blood, and smoke.

_Speeding away from the column, she had to run again as the chopper opened fire, bullets following after her until she reached the next column and rolled_ _behind it. A moment later, Jessie spun back out into the open, pulled the pin from her grenade, and reached back her arm to throw it as hard and as fast as she could._

_At the same time, the chopper flew right toward her, almost touching the outer wall below the guardrail as it fired again, catching Jessie just as she let go of the raspberry. She cried out in pain as bullets ripped into her arm and shoulder and drove her back. One of the chopper's shots caught the grenade just a few seconds_ _later, inadvertently setting it off_ _early, and I saw Jessie's eyes widen just as it exploded._

_The blast threw her hard to the floor, spinning her around as it blew up the front of the chopper at the same time. The machine crumpled like a tin can, careening out of control. Jessie landed on her stomach, burned and bleeding, and tried to crawl away as the ruined helicopter fell toward her. But she was too badly hurt, her right arm practically useless and her thigh bleeding where it had been impaled by shrapnel._

_Jessie screamed and tried to drag herself away with her good arm as the chopper collapsed on top of her, exploding with the impact. A broken rotor, blown off in the blast, stabbed through her lower back until it burst out of her stomach, stopping her escape attempt in its tracks as a shower of rubble, hull fragments, and other debris finished the job._

_Lying on her side, her entire lower body buried under the smoldering wreckage of the destroyed chopper, Jessie let out a soft, weak chuckle, as if defying the excruciating pain she must've been feeling. Blood poured out of her onto the floor as flames burned across the area and pieces of burnt plating and metal beams lay piled upon her._

Then it was over, the pain and the visions gone as quickly as they'd come. It was starting to come true. I was still holding Aerith's arm, but as I let go, I realized she was still gazing at me, her eyes wide with fear. I didn't understand it at first, thought it was just worry about the pillar. But then, as she stood up, she took my shoulder.

"Cloud…" she murmured. "I saw it. I saw it all. Jessie… the pillar… how badly she was hurt. She was dying…"

I stared at her. "You saw it?"

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked, joining us.

"I've been… having dreams lately," I admitted. "About Jessie, dying in the pillar. They were so real, Tifa. Like I was actually there. Don't ask me how, but… it was the future. Tonight."

Her hand flew to her mouth. "Can we change it!?"

"It's her fate…" Aerith breathed. "Her destiny. To die. I don't know how I know, but somehow… I do."

"I'm not giving up on her!" I swore.

She shook her head. "That's not what I was saying, Cloud. She was always meant to die there. That's how it feels. But… I think we can still save her. The future's not set, no matter what you've seen. I think what you saw was the past, not the future."

I blinked. "I don't understand. The past?"

"I can't explain it," Aerith started pacing, "but I feel like all this has happened before. Maybe more than once. And the outcome was always the same for her. She always died in the pillar."

"Not this time," I tightened my fist.

Tifa looked at us. "But how can we save her? If what we're doing is the same as what we've always done, what do we need to do differently this time? Do you know where she was in there?"

"Near the top," I said.

"Makes sense," she nodded. Then her eyes lit up. "She used to work at Shinra, remember? If anyone could disarm the detonator, it'd be her! She just has survive so she can get there!"

Aerith stopped in her tracks. "Of course! It all makes sense! Jessie's gotta know how to stop it! She's the only one who ever could! Cloud, if we save her, we save the pillar! And Sector 7!"

"Then let's move!" I told the girls. "There's no time!"

"Right!" Tifa's gaze was determined.

But before we could go anywhere, the whole room started shaking. Something huge was stomping this way from a tunnel just ahead of us. Several open sewer grates lined the area, and dirty brown water swirled around the base of the walls in a narrow channel. I quickly drew Buster as the monster suddenly crashed into view.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Tifa grimaced.

The thing was almost twenty feet all, hunched over with a leathery, dark blue hide. Its arms and legs were thick with muscle, and its yellow eyes gazed hungrily at us. No doubt we were on the menu tonight. But I didn't feel like feeding Corneo's twisted pet. A pair of thick gray horns grew from its head, glowing pale green at the tips, and fastened around its wrists were iron manacles with a length of broken chain hanging off them. They clinked loudly as it moved.

The skin on the right side of the monster's chest, face, and side was heavily burned and blackened along with its right arm, and I smiled at the sight of Jessie's handiwork. It faded fast, though, as I thought of her and how little time she had left. Unless I could save her. Hefting Buster, I narrowed my eyes and readied myself.

We had to kill this brute fast, whatever the hell it was. Don Corneo must've fed a lot of his girls and enemies to it over the years. Too many. It looked strong, but every monster had its weakness. All we had to do was find it. I glanced at Aerith and Tifa.

"Good to go?" I asked them.

Aerith spun her staff. "You bet! Let's finish what Jessie started!"

Tifa raised her fists. "Bring it on!"

* * *

" _Barret!"_

I turned to see Jessie ridin' up the elevator, her face white as paper. As soon as the lift stopped, she ran over to the table I was sittin' at with the guys an' slapped her tablet down onto it. Her hands were shakin'. I'd never seen her so scared before.

"What's wrong, Jessie?" I asked. "You find somethin'?"

She nodded. "You bet your ass I did! I finally cracked that file. And it… it's so much worse than I could've ever imagined! I found out what Project Firestorm is—they're going after the pillar!"

I shot to my feet. _"What!?"_

"They're gonna blow it up!?" Biggs' jaw dropped. "How?"

"I'll show you," Jessie said.

She pulled up a set of schematics on her tablet. I recognized it right away as the pillar. But not jus' that. It showed the whole damn Sector 7 plate as well. Lots of flashin' red an' white dots was all over it and linin' the inside of the pillar, too. What did they mean?

"Ever since we took out Reactor 1," Jessie explained, "Shinra's been rigging the Sector 7 plate with explosives, hiding them in the sewers up there so no one would find them. They've also planted them along the inside of the upper pillar—it's actually hollow and can be entered from the plate for maintenance and repairs."

"Shit! How they gonna set it off?" I swore.

She tapped her tablet, an' the view zoomed in on the lower pillar as me an' the guys leaned close to see it. "The detonator's wired directly to the main control console located on the 15th floor. It's where the service platform is. Normally, it's used for managing power distribution to the slums, but Shinra's reprogrammed it to cause a chain reaction that'll set off all of the explosives they've planted, destroy the pillar, and cause the Sector 7 plate to collapse and crush everyone!"

"But why would they do that!?" Wedge gaped.

"To kill _us!_ Why else?" Jessie said.

Biggs stood back. "A whole town, just to wipe us out? There's gotta be more to it. No way they'd go that far just to destroy Avalanche. This has gotta be a mistake! Right?"

She shook her head. "No, Biggs. I know _exactly_ how those bastards work, _especially_ the asshole behind all this—Heidegger. He doesn't give a _damn_ about collateral damage!"

"You know when they gonna set it off?" I asked.

"Tonight!" Jessie answered. "It could be any minute now!"

Wedge's eyes widened. "So what do we do?"

I pumped my fist. "We gonna save our home, that's what! Gotta go secure the pillar! You an' Biggs round up the watch, fast as you can. We gonna need all the help we can get, 'cause I got a feeling we headin' into a fight. Jessie, you're with me. Gotta get to the 15th floor and keep them Shinra bastards from reachin' the control panel."

"Understood," she nodded.

"Daddy?" I heard Marlene yawn.

I turned to see her paddin' down the stairs, rubbin' her eyes as she carried her doll in her arm. Our shoutin' must've woken her up. Didn't like havin' to leave her here alone, but I didn't have no choice. I picked her up an' put her in a chair while the others checked their weapons an' gear an' got themselves ready to move out.

"Me and the others've gotta leave for a little while," I told her. "You jus' stay here an' wait for us, Marlene. Don't go outside. We ain't gonna be gone long. Jus' gotta do a few things."

I didn't like bein' vague with her like that, but I didn't see no reason to scare her by tellin' her any more than she needed to hear. Jus' then, I turned as a bright light suddenly swept across the windows an' the loud sound of a helicopter flyin' overhead filled our ears.

"Go!" I told the others. "We outta time!"

Biggs slapped Wedge on the back, then ran out the doors with him barely a minute later. After loadin' a fresh clip into her gun an' checkin' on them purple grenades she carried in her belt pouch, Jessie followed jus' a step behind 'em. I kissed Marlene goodbye, ruffled her hair, then raced out the door an' into the yard.

"C'mon, Jessie!" I swept my arm across. "Let's move!"

She started to go with me as Biggs an' Wedge hurried off to get the watch mobilized, then stopped after a few steps. "Barret, go on ahead. I have to do something first. I'll meet you there."

I frowned. "The hell?"

"We don't have time to argue about this!" she said. "It's important! I have to try. If it can save lives and our home, then I'm gonna do it. So go on, Barret. It won't take long, I promise."

"You'd better be there," I growled. "You got five minutes!"

That said, she hurried 'round the corner of the bar an' outta sight. I sighed, speedin' past that parked motorcycle of hers, an' made my way toward the pillar as fast as I could. Didn't believe she was sellin' us out, but I wasn't sure what she was up to, either.

As another Shinra chopper flew overhead, I put her outta my mind an' concentrated on what had to be done. We was gonna save the pillar. An' our home. I jus' hoped Cloud an' Tifa would show up soon, 'cause I knew we'd need 'em before this was over.

* * *

I was working in my office on a proposal to renew construction on Sector 6 when I got the call. Not on my phone, but on my headset. The red light on it flashed insistently, and I knew my little agent was trying to reach me. Only one person had ever called me in this way—she was the only one who knew how—and I hadn't heard from her in just over two years. I grabbed the headset and put it on.

My little agent put her through at once. "Reeve! Can you hear me? It's Jessie! I have to talk to you!"

"I'm here, Jessica," I told her. "What's wrong?"

"You've gotta stop them, tell them to call it off!" she yelled. She was frantic. "They're gonna blow up the Sector 7 pillar!"

I shot to my feet. "What!? Are you sure?"

She came back seconds later. "Positive! I 'liberated' the mission file a few days ago and just cracked into it. I'm sending it to you now on an encoded frequency. Hurry, Reeve!"

Just then, my laptop beeped, and I sat back down to check on what she'd sent me. The mission file came up almost at once, the schematics for both the Sector 7 plate and the pillar itself, with swarms of flashing dots indicating where the explosives had been placed. The mission text indicating how and when they were to be set off. Tonight at the pillar's main control console, which meant that Shinra's forces were already on their way there. It would be starting soon.

I scanned it quickly, worry building up in my mind for both Jessica and the people of Sector 7. Although I hadn't spoken with her in a long time, I had kept tabs on her activities with my little agent and knew she had come to live there and that she had joined Avalanche—although it was Shinra's news report that had revealed to me her involvement, not my little agent. I had recognized her in the footage of the group fleeing from Reactor 1's terrible destruction.

"I see it," I told her. "I'll speak to the president at once."

"Thank you," Jessica breathed.

I locked the mission file in an encrypted folder before standing up again. "Of course, Jessica. But you have to get out of there! It isn't safe! I don't want to lose you, too."

She was far more than my friend. She was family, my goddaughter. It had pained me to send her to the slums years ago, but it had been for her own protection. I'd already lost her mother, Amanda, a dear friend I'd known since we were children. I wasn't going to lose Jessica as well. This mad plan she'd found had to be stopped.

"I'm staying," she said. "I have to, Reeve. I'm heading into the pillar to secure it and keep Shinra from activating the detonator. I have to do this. My home's in danger! So many innocent people's lives are at stake! I can't let them down. I have to save them!"

I was as proud of her as I was afraid. "Please be careful up there. I'll do what I can from here. And I insist that you call me as soon as this is over, Jessica. I need to know that you're safe."

"I will," she told me. "I promise."

I nodded. "I'll talk to you then. Goodbye, Jessica."

"Goodbye, Reeve," she answered.

After cutting the connection, I took off the headset, put it back on my desk, and stormed out of my office. I'd been kept in the dark about this plan by the other directors, and I knew exactly why. I was the only one of them who gave a damn about the people of this city, and they all knew I'd have fought against this horrible scheme and done everything I could to keep it from happening.

And I had every intention of doing just that.


	43. FORTY-TWO

## FORTY-TWO

I braced myself as Corneo's monstrous pet charged at us, its barbed tail whipping around it. The thing's roar split my eardrums, but I didn't waver. I kept my fists up as Cloud and Aerith readied their weapons. A large tattoo on the monster's left shoulder read "Abzu" over a red heart with a sword running through it. Abzu's hoofed, cloven feet stomped at us across the stone floor as it got close.

"Spread out!" Cloud ordered. "Surround it!"

Aerith and I did as he said, fanning out to either side of him so we could come at Abzu from three different directions and keep the thing off balance as much as we could. Aerith sped to the left while I dashed over to the right and Cloud took the middle. Abzu swung a huge fist at him, but he dodged it easily, rolling aside and countering with a pair of quick slashes to the monster's arm.

At the same time, I focused my energy, ran in, and let loose with a brutal chain of punches and kicks into Abzu's blackened and burnt side where Jessie had blasted it with her grenade two years ago. Then I kept the pressure on with a charged fist followed by a pair of diving kicks to the monster's ribs. Abzu snarled in pain and swiped at me with its fists, but I backflipped out of range as Aerith scorched its horns with a blast of fire magic from her materia.

Abzu staggered back, then roared and jumped, clinging to the wall for a moment and eying us warily. Lifting my right arm, I let loose with an ice spell that bit into the monster's hide with a piercing shot of cold. Cloud got the same idea, shouldering his sword and shocking Abzu in the back with a fork of lighting while Aerith continued burning it with more fire. Abzu grunted, writhing under the magical assault, and then gathered itself as it prepared to spring at us.

"It's gonna jump!" I called.

Abzu leaped, faster than I'd thought possible with its huge bulk, as we backed away. It caught Aerith before she could escape, pouncing on her and driving her to the floor. She shrieked as the monster snarled at her and slammed a clenched fist toward her face. But although she got her mythril staff up above her just in time to block the assault, she still couldn't roll away. She was trapped.

But then Cloud was there, leaping through the air with his massive sword held high. He came down on Abzu's back with a yell, slicing and dicing for all he was worth. And I was right behind him, showering the beast with blow after blow from my fists and feet and the occasional ice spell until finally Abzu fell back with a roar and stumbled away. Cloud kept the pressure on while I went to Aerith.

"You okay?" I asked, helping her get to her feet.

She nodded. "I'll be fine, Tifa. Let's go!"

We shared a determined glanced, then ran after Cloud. He was still trading blows with Abzu, blocking what attacks he could with his huge sword while cutting at the monster again and again. Aerith unleashed a tempest of magical energy, flower petals floating all around her, while I backed Cloud up with a focused strike into Abzu's other side. I added a quick chain of jabs, hooks, and spinning kicks for good measure while Cloud followed up with more lightning.

Abzu growled, driving us back with a sweep of its arms, then came right at me, totally enraged now. Its heavy footsteps were like thunder, making the floor tremble as it charged. I tried to get out of the way, but Abzu was faster, sending me skyward with a brutal headbutt and a pair of quick punches that hurled me into the wall.

I cried out, pain exploding everywhere at the impact, and fell into the murky water at the base of the wall with a splash and a groan as tile shattered around me. I coughed on the dust and struggled to stand up, somehow making it out of the narrow channel and onto my knees. But Abzu was still coming, practically berserk as it bore down on me, and I braced myself for another blow.

Aerith darted in between us though, her staff held high, and sent a line of bright white energy slamming into Abzu, driving it back. And a moment later, Cloud was there, slashing furiously with his sword as he unleashed a trio of quick slices followed by a single focused thrust that went deep into the monster's side.

Then I felt a cool, refreshing breeze wash over me, and the pain of my injuries faded, at least enough that I could stand and keep fighting. I smiled gratefully at Aerith as her healing energy swept across both of us as well as Cloud, then narrowed my eyes as I gazed intently at Abzu again. It was time to finish this.

While Aerith covered me with her magic, blasts of fire bursting left and right as they burned Abzu's tough, leathery hide, I rushed in, dove low, then rose up with a series of devastating punches culminating in a fierce uppercut to its jaw before I jumped away and prepared to deliver more pain. Cloud followed up with a set of three deep slashes at angles to each other that left trails of amber energy behind. Then Abzu froze, paralyzed by the energy of Cloud's attack.

"Gotcha now!" I smirked, setting myself up.

Arms out to either side, I leaned forward, then charged, shattering Abzu's jaw with a forward somersault kick to its face while Aerith blew apart one of its horns with another burst of fire. Cloud finished the job, jumping high into the air and driving his sword into Abzu's chest with a spinning overhead chop. The monster gurgled and groaned, falling to the floor with a crash, and lay still.

Aerith nodded in satisfaction. "Looks like Corneo won't be feeding anyone else to this thing. Down it went!"

"The big ones really do fall harder," I agreed.

"You two alright?" Cloud asked.

Aerith smiled. "Yep! A little banged up, but nothing serious. Looks like you're in pretty good shape yourself."

He shouldered his sword. "Yeah. We need to move."

"Are we… too late?" I sank back to my knees as the reality of what was going on suddenly flooded back to me. "Jessie… Biggs… Barret… and everyone else in Sector 7…"

"Don't give up," Aerith knelt down next to me.

I looked at her. "But…"

She took my shoulder. "It's not easy to bring down the pillar, right? And I'm sure Jessie knows how to disarm whatever bomb they're using to try and destroy it. There's still hope, Tifa."

"You're right," I breathed, feeling as if a weight had lifted from me. "We can do this. Let's go save everyone."

For the second time, I let Aerith help me to my feet. I felt more like myself by the time I stood up, and seeing Cloud's firm resolve reflected in his eyes helped me to steady my own. Without a word, he started on down the tunnel, jogging at a brisk pace as Aerith and I followed close behind him and we all hurried toward Sector 7.

* * *

"Director Tuesti, sir!" the secretary protested as I stormed into the lower office on the 69th floor. "The president is in a meeting right now. I'm afraid you'll have to—"

"I'll do no such thing!" I snapped. "Move aside!"

The young woman swallowed and did I as I ordered, and I hurried up the wide stairs to the 70th floor and President Shinra's vast, spacious office. A huge desk made of black metal dominated the back half of the room, and behind it, floor to ceiling windows looked out over Midgar. If Sector 7 fell, the president would easily be able to witness it from up here. Knowing him, I was certain he'd watch. Lamps and potted plants stood here and there, and a door to the right led out to the roof and his private helipad. It was empty at the moment.

Just as I'd suspected, the president was meeting with Heidegger, the director of Peace Preservation. I hated him. With a dark green military uniform and a Shinra logo pin on his lapel, he was the very picture of a general, and a brutal, eager smile creased his seamed face as he stroked his long, thick black beard. It made my blood boil to think about what he'd done to Amanda and Jessica all those years ago. I hadn't been able to save Amanda, but her daughter was another story. And I intended to keep her safe no matter what it took.

"Are we on schedule?" the president asked.

Heidegger cackled in that hideous horse laugh of his. "Indeed! The Turks are on it, sir. There will be no delays."

"Sir!" I strode up to the desk. "You can't do this!"

"Who invited you to this meeting?" Heidegger snorted.

I glared at him. "I have every right to be here. The Sector 7 slums is home to more than 50,000 people! To say nothing of those who live on the plate itself. We can't just exterminate them!"

"Director Tuesti," the president sighed.

"This is madness!" I went on. "Avalanche consists of only a handful of individuals. Are we really going to do this? Destroy an entire section of the city and countless lives to wipe them out!?"

President Shinra leaned forward. "You want to leave?"

"No," I shook my head. "But I'm the head of Urban Development. I helped build this city. That's why—"

Heidegger held his nose. "Go flush your crap, Reeve! The stench of your abject cowardice fills the room yet again. You're as pathetic as you are powerless. A man without a spine."

There had to be a way I could force them to abort this mad plan. It couldn't be allowed to go forward, but I didn't see how I could possibly stop it. Then I remembered what Jessica had entrusted to me long ago, hard evidence of Heidegger's responsibility for several of the atrocities that had happened in Midgar over the years. Jessica had risked her life to find it and bring it to me before leaving Shinra.

"Powerless, am I?" I said. "Then how about this? I have undeniable proof that you orchestrated the Reactor 3 massacre four years ago. Not only that, you and Scarlet were behind the destruction of Corel as well. And you sabotaged your wife's train three years ago, destroying it along with the Sector 5 station, killing her and so many others. She was going to leave you, exposing you if necessary, and you murdered her! _You_ are the coward here, Heidegger. Not me."

His dark eyes narrowed. "Proof? What proof? And even if you did have it, just what do you plan on doing with it?"

"Let's just say that my evidence comes from a _very_ reliable source," I said. "Don't play dumb with me. I know you know she knows. It's why you tried to kill her and have spent the last few years searching for her. If you don't rescind those orders to the Turks immediately, I'll see to it that this information goes public. Tonight."

"What!?" Heidegger's face turned a satisfying shade of red.

I went on, twisting the knife. "Your daughter was quite thorough in what she gathered. It'll be on all the news stations across Midgar. You'll be finished, Heidegger. You know the president won't allow anything to tarnish the company's image. This would destroy it."

The president rose from his desk. "That will be all, Director Tuesti. The investigations of those events are long since over. Accusing one of your fellow directors of such heinous crimes may lead you into a great deal of trouble if you aren't careful."

"But sir!" I protested.

"Whatever evidence you think you may have is irrelevant," he said, taking out a cigar. "Project Firestorm will proceed as planned. And the incidents you spoke of will remain classified indefinitely. Do not make the mistake of attempting to release the information covertly. It would not work out well for you if you did."

I sighed. "At least let us issue a warning!"

"Progress requires sacrifice," President Shinra replied. "Live with it. The mako is beginning to run dry, Director. And unless we act now, we won't be able to provide power and energy for the people of this city. It all comes down to numbers, you see."

"Numbers, sir?" I folded my arms in front of me.

He nodded. "To save the many, we must sacrifice the few. Letting a few thousand die now saves tens of thousands of lives later. Surely you can appreciate that. Cold, simple numbers."

I didn't believe a word of it. "The mayor won't allow this!"

"Mayor?" Heidegger sneered. "That fool just sits in this building all day feeding his face and reading his books! You call that a mayor? He's a nitwit that does whatever we tell him."

I knew better, of course, but I wasn't about to say so. Domino and I had conferred frequently over the years, both of us united in our desire to improve things for the people of Midgar. Although he appeared just a foolish old man to Heidegger and the others, he and his assistant had long worked in secret to undermine Shinra and change it from within. He had his eccentricities, but he was a good man at heart. He'd help me fight this terrible plan if he could.

I narrowed my eyes. "He still runs this city, Heidegger."

"No, Reeve," he laughed that insane horse laugh again. _"We_ run the city. He just gets to pretend he does. Now why don't you two go have a little cry in the corner while we do what needs to be done! I grow tired of all your whining and complaining."

"Damn you…" I growled.

He turned to President Shinra and saluted. "If you'll excuse me, sir. I have preparations to make. I trust my men, but I intend to be ready if things don't go as expected."

The president puffed on his cigar. "Of course, General."

With that, Heidegger grinned smugly at me, then left. As I watched him go, President Shinra walked around his desk until he stood next to me. All my efforts, and I hadn't been able to convince him to abort this catastrophe. But I wasn't giving up. I intended to meet Domino next to figure out if there was anything else we could do.

"Go on, Reeve," he said. "You don't look very well. Take some time off and rest. It'll be over soon."

I shook my head. "No, sir. I'm fine."

He shrugged. "If you insist. But it won't change anything. The plan is in motion. It's probably beginning right at this very moment, in fact. There will be no dawn… for Avalanche."

* * *

The sewer tunnels went on and on, twisting and turning again and again like a maze. Yet there was a certain order to it, and I was sure we could make our way through it and find a way out. I'd been down here before, but not often—Jessie and I had used them once to escape from an ambush after a scouting mission to a Shinra supply depot. Her first real job as a member of Avalanche. I smiled faintly at the memory even as I worried terribly for her.

"Tifa?" Cloud glanced over at me.

We had stopped for just a moment to catch a quick breather, and I was trying to remember which way to go. It did seem familiar, and as I stood there, I tried to picture it all in my mind. The sound of dripping water filled the air. So did the rank smell of sewage and muck. I figured I'd have to get some new boots when this was over.

"Just thinking," I said. "These tunnels are connected. We should be able to use them to get back to Sector 7. Jessie and I did. It was about a year and a half ago, not long after she joined us."

"Sure we're not lost?" Aerith asked from behind us.

I shook my head. "I know the way. There should be a big canal not far ahead of us. Let's find that first."

She and Cloud nodded, and we went on. The ceiling here was low, only a couple feet above our heads, and water flowed along the base of the walls on either side of the path in narrow channels like in the room where we'd fought Abzu. The odor made my nose curl, but I did what I could to ignore it and keep going.

"Ugh, it reeks down here," Aerith muttered.

I agreed. "You're not kidding. I could really kill for a nice, long hot shower right about now."

She laughed. "You and me both!"

We found the canal just a few minutes later as the tunnel we'd been following opened into a larger chamber. At first, I wasn't sure how we'd get across it—the canal was full of water, unlike the last time I'd been in here with Jessie. Shinra did have maintenance workers that came down into the sewers from time to time to make adjustments and check that everything was still running. I supposed one of them might've opened the sluice gate. We'd just have to shut it again.

We managed it easily enough, though, after finding the valve wheel nearby. It squealed in protest as Cloud turned it, but he got it done, and the water flowed out just seconds later. When it was gone, we took the ladder by the edge and descended into the canal. It was kinda dark, but not wide, and it didn't take us long to reach the far side and climb up a ladder to get out of the canal again. Another narrow, smelly tunnel was ahead of us, and we plunged inside.

"Hey, Cloud," I said as we went along, "What do you think Shinra's really up to? They've gotta have some kind of endgame. Blowing up an entire chunk of the city to wipe us out is overkill."

He nodded. "It's psychotic. And they can't profit from it, either. It'd cost way too much to rebuild. Something else is going on here, Tifa. It's not just about getting back at us. Can't be."

I agreed with him but couldn't for the life of me figure out what the real goal of this whole thing might be. It didn't make any sense. But we didn't have time to worry about that now. We had to get back to Sector 7 and save everyone. Fear nagged at me, ate at me like a hungry dog. It chilled me to think that we might be too late. I tried to think of Aerith's words of encouragement that she'd given me after we had beaten Abzu, but they seemed far away, distant.

We stopped after a moment when the tunnel split not far ahead of us and went off into three different directions. One kept going forward, another bent slightly to the left, and the third one slanted a little to the right. But which tunnel led to Sector 7?

"Well, here's a problem," Aerith looked at each in turn.

I frowned. "I don't remember this…"

We took another breather while I wracked my mind trying to find out which way to go. I went over my earlier journey through here with Jessie over and over again, trying to find some clue that might help us. Had she and I come this way? Or had she found a different route for us to take? It had been a long time since I'd been down here, and some of the details of our journey were hard to remember. But as I stood there, I realized something, and suddenly I knew.

"That way!" I pointed to the left tunnel, smiling.

Aerith blinked. "You remembered?"

I chuckled. "Not exactly. But the air doesn't smell as bad in there. It must mean it's closer to the surface. Jessie told me when we were down here that following your nose in a place like this is the best way to keep from getting lost. It's how we got home."

We got moving again, jogging along the tunnel until it opened out into another large chamber. This one I knew right away, and I felt a bit better knowing we were finally getting close to getting out of this place. There was another canal here, full of water, but there was also a narrow bridge that stretched all the way across it.

"The trunk line," I said. "We cross this and we're in Sector 7. From there, we can find a way back to the surface."

"I'll go first," Cloud told us.

Aerith and I watched as he stepped lightly onto the bridge, his eyes fixed ahead of him. He made the crossing carefully and easily, just as a trained SOLDIER would. Once he was safely on the far side, I followed him, moving lightly across the bridge. Aerith came last, wobbling a bit as she did but getting to the other side safely. Then we hurried into the next tunnel, our footsteps echoing in the gloom.

I sighed as I took the lead again. "Can't stop thinking about it. The plate, I mean. It scares me, you know?"

"Me too," Aerith nodded. "But the future's not set, Tifa."

"I hope you're right," I said.

She smiled and caught up to me while Cloud trailed a little behind us. "Okay, then. How 'bout this? After we save Sector 7, what's the first thing you're gonna do? Something fun."

It wasn't hard to figure out, actually. "I'm gonna go shopping. Get a few decorations for the bar. Topside, now that I think about it. They've got some nice stores up there. I'll get coasters, decorations… oh, and… that's right! It's you, isn't it! I just remembered!"

"What do you mean?" Aerith asked.

"You must be the girl Biggs was telling me about," I told her. "He's a friend of mine, originally from Sector 5. Same place as you. He said his sister knew someone who grew real flowers and sold them on the plate. I'm guessing that's you, Aerith."

She laughed. "Yep! Sure is! Lena's a friend, though I don't know her that well. But if you want flowers for the bar, I'm your girl! I grow them in my yard as well as at the church Cloud told you about. We'll go grab as many of them as you want, Tifa."

"You'll go shopping with me, right?" I asked.

"Of course!" Aerith agreed. "And we should bring Jessie along, too. Make it a real girls' day out!"

I smiled. "I think she'd like that."

"Cloud can carry all our stuff!" she grinned. "He'll be our bag boy! I'm sure Jessie can sweet talk him into it."

"Definitely!" I smirked.

He blinked. "What'd you say?"

I chuckled. "Nothing!"

We came to another canal a few minutes later. The bridge across it didn't look as sturdy as the last one, though. I went first this time, then Aerith followed after me. Cloud started across once we'd both gotten to the far side, and he moved quickly to try and join us. Too quickly, as it turned out. He had almost reached us when he suddenly missed a step and the bridge collapsed out from under him.

"Cloud!" I called.

Aerith reached down with her staff just in time, though, and Cloud caught the end of it right before he'd have fallen into the swirling water. She strained to pull him up, and I grabbed hold of the staff and helped her bring him up to safety.

"Hold on tight!" Aerith told him.

He did, and when we finally got him up, he grimaced. "Sorry about that. Should've paid more attention."

She patted his arm. "It's okay. No harm done."

"We know you're worried about Jessie," I added. "But if anyone can save her, it's you. It'll be alright."

"Yeah," he said, his fists tightening. "I'll save her."

I knew he would. I had to believe it. Gently squeezing his shoulder for a moment, I took the lead again as we moved into another tunnel. I had a pretty good idea of where we were, but I didn't think it was quite the same place Jessie and I had exited from. Still, we were close, and so I started looking for a ladder and told the others to do the same. We all kept our eyes peeled, and it wasn't long before we found one. It was in a larger chamber with a pool of murky water on one side.

"Over there!" Aerith pointed.

I nodded. "I see it, Aerith. That's our ticket outta here. Hopefully it won't be too far from the pillar."

Cloud started toward it. "Then let's move."

I was just getting ready to do that when I noticed a small sparkle of yellow near the railing by the water's edge. Motioning for the others to wait, I went over and took a closer look. It was a materia, command by the color. There were several different kinds. Yellow materia allows you to use extra skills and abilities or enhance ones you've already got. As I picked up the orb, I sensed it was Steal. I'd heard about it, along with a lot of thieves and bandits in the slums, naturally.

Although you don't actually need to use the materia to steal items, of course, it makes it a lot easier by increasing your speed significantly for a short time when it's activated. That makes swiping stuff from bad guys a lot easier, and when the materia grows strong enough, it lets you move so fast that you can both steal and attack at the same time. I gave the yellow orb a little toss in my hand, then set it neatly into one of the empty slots of my new mythril bangle.

I was just turning to go back to the others when suddenly six large creatures leaped out of the water behind me. I dove away, fists up when I got to my feet. Cloud and Aerith rushed to join me, weapons ready as the monsters landed. They were like humanoid turtles, with shells and all, and brandished wicked-looking tridents.

"Sahagins!" I told the others. "Jessie and I ran into a few back when we were down here. They can be tough."

Cloud's eyes narrowed. "Not tough enough."

"We're not delicious!" Aerith incinerated a sahagin with burst after burst of flame. "Not even a little! I swear! I don't taste good. Even with salt! Or pepper. And you can forget the oregano."

I laid into another with a flurry of punches. "Me either, but I don't think they care. They hurt Jessie pretty bad when we fought them. I got her outta there, but it was still a close call."

Cloud growled. "Now they've _really_ pissed me off."

Then he darted in, sweeping his sword across and sending three of the sahagins flying back. One of them landed in the water with a splash and didn't come back. Another tried to stand, but a swift chain of slices from Cloud's blade kept it down. I hit the third one with a shot of cold that left it screeching in pain as it stumbled back, and then I finished it off with a high roundhouse kick to its ugly, greenish face. It dropped its trident and tumbled limply to the floor.

That left two. Cloud and I stood back to back as they rushed at us, and between my fists, his sword, and Aerith's magic, they didn't last too long. They managed to get a few minor cuts and bruises in on us, but it was nothing serious. The side of my shoulder stung a bit from where a trident had caught me. After shouldering his sword, Cloud focused on his materia and used the Restore that Jessie had given him to see to our injuries. The pain faded in the wake of the spell's healing energy, and a wind from Aerith refreshed us, too.

"Well, the worst is over," she sighed in relief.

But she'd barely finished talking when over a dozen more sahagins suddenly exploded from the water and leaped over the railing, tridents ready in their clawed hands. They croaked to each other as they moved toward us, and I supposed that was their way of communicating. But I didn't feel like learning the language today.

Aerith swallowed. "Then again…"

"Up the ladder!" Cloud ordered. "Now!"

We did as he said while he drew his sword and kept the sahagins at bay. Aerith went first, then I climbed after her only a few seconds later. Once we were both about halfway up, Cloud put his sword away again and came last. The sahagins hissed but didn't follow us as we made our escape and quickly moved out of their reach.

The ladder rose high and long as we climbed, which meant it went all the way to the surface. I could feel air above us, free of the stench of the sewers, but there was something odd about it. It wasn't fresh. It was cold, still. I shivered, wondering what it meant.

Aerith was almost at the top when she suddenly stopped, blinking as if she'd just remembered something. Then she looked down past me at Cloud and blushed a deep red. What was the matter with her? I held onto the ladder and waited, confused by her sudden embarrassment. It didn't make sense. Not at first, anyway.

"Um, Cloud?" she called to him. "You didn't, uh… happen to look up my dress, did you? By accident?"

His eyes widened. "N-No! Of course not!"

My own cheeks flamed. "What about my, um… skirt?"

"No, Tifa!" he insisted. "I-I didn't!"

I relaxed as I saw how flustered he was. It was pretty cute, actually. "It's okay. Eyes ahead, though. Not up."

"Yeah," he breathed, doing as I'd said. "Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about," Aerith told him. "We know you're too nice a guy to do something like that. Just caught me by surprise, is all. I didn't even realize it at first. But keep those eyes forward 'till we get out of here, Cloud. You understand?"

He nodded. "Got it. Straight ahead."

With that all sorted out, we started climbing again. It didn't take us long to get out, but by the time we did, I almost wished we hadn't. As I looked around and saw where we were, I knew then why the air felt the way it did. I shivered, and it wasn't from the unnatural cold that chilled my blood while I stood there with Cloud and Aerith. We had emerged in the worst place I could have ever imagined.

We were in the Train Graveyard.


	44. FORTY-THREE

## FORTY-THREE

I was almost to the outskirts when Jessie caught up to me, fallin' in alongside me as we hurried toward the pillar. It loomed ahead of us, an' even from here, I could see the fight had already started. Bright, quick orange flashes lit the night all through the lower floors. It was gunfire, the shots ringin' out across the slums along with shoutin' and screamin' as folks on both sides got hurt an' killed.

"It's started, hasn't it?" Jessie grimaced. "Damn…"

I knew how she felt. "You get done what you needed to?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I just hope it makes a difference somehow. Are Biggs and Wedge in there?"

"Oughta be," I said. "Saw 'em on the way, gatherin' up the watch, so I sent 'em on ahead. Looks like Shinra got there before us, though. This is gonna get ugly, Jessie. Bad as I ever seen."

"I know," she sighed.

The sound of them Shinra choppers flyin' high above us an' circlin' the pillar filled our ears when we got there. They spat bullets at all our people inside, cuttin' 'em down left an' right, an' I felt rage in my gut at what was goin' on. I was jus' 'bout to enter the gate when I realized that Jessie had stopped and was jus' standin' there.

I looked at her. "Jessie?"

She was gazin' up at the pillar. "A few jitters, Barret. That's all. I feel strange… knowing what's coming. I mean… I've put my life on the line before, but… this is different."

"You sayin' you wanna stay behind?" I asked.

"I promised Cloud I wouldn't go in there," she explained.

Before I could think better of it, I pointed my gun-arm at her. "You best not back out on me, girl. Not now. People are fightin' and dyin' for you an' me an' everyone else here."

She stared at me. "Barret, that's not what I—"

"If you sold us out…" I growled. "You gonna regret it."

"Is that what you think?" Jessie snapped. "That I'd do some terrible shit like that to you? To my friends?"

I kept my aim on her. "Dunno what to think, Jessie. You found this plan, then went outta sight to do somethin' you won't tell me 'bout jus' as we head out. An' now, you flakin' out on me right before we 'bout to get into the fight ourselves. Like you don't wanna be in there 'cause you know somethin'. Suspicious as hell to me, girl."

Jessie didn't flinch. "I thought you knew me better than that. And I really am sorry I didn't tell you I used to work for Shinra. But you have to know that I'd _never_ turn on you, _never_ do anything to hurt you. Not ever. I couldn't. I have my reasons, Barret, and someday, I hope I'll find the words to tell you why. Until then, if this is the only way I can prove myself to you, then I'll do it, and gladly."

That said, she turned an' hurried toward the pillar, drawin' her gun on the way. More folks from the watch was crowded 'round the base of the stairs, but they made way for us when we got there. I sent a handful of 'em to start movin' people out and gettin' 'em to safety, then climbed up the steps with Jessie to make that longass climb to the platform. An' we'd have to fight our way there, sure enough.

* * *

"Mr. Mayor," I said, stepping into his office. "I assume you've heard by now what's happening in Sector 7."

He nodded. "I have, Director. Terrible, just terrible…"

Domino sighed, leaning back in his chair as I sat on the other side of his desk. Behind him, an array of monitors showed activity all across the Shinra Building. The upper floors, mostly. He'd always kept a close eye on things, using his role as Shinra's puppet to throw off suspicion. I admired his cunning even while I found his odder aspects amusing. He was a good friend and my last hope right now.

"There must be some way we can stop this," I said.

Domino shook his head. "I'm afraid it's too late for that, Reeve. I've been monitoring the situation from here. The battle's already begun. It won't be long now. The Turks are on their way, and once they get their orders confirmed by Heidegger, they'll move in."

I looked away. "The local watch won't stand a chance."

"They're putting up a brave fight," he agreed, "but it's one they can't win. They can't keep them from the platform forever. And all the trains have been diverted away from Sector 7."

"They're being cut off…" I understood. "But there's got to be a way to reach them, help as many escape as possible."

Domino stroked his pointed gray beard. "Possibly, but I don't think there's much we can do for the people of the slums. Those on the plate, however, are another matter."

I allowed myself a small smirk. "The president said there would be no announcement, but he never actually prohibited me from ordering an evacuation. I think we can work with that."

"Splitting the hair mighty fine, my friend," he chuckled. "But I like it. There's a certain devious ring to it, you know."

"Indeed. Now then, we need to send as many troops as we can into Sector 7 to move people out. We don't have much time, Domino. Have the men tell them it isn't safe there. It's the truth, but vague enough that it shouldn't cause them to panic. And with any luck, Heidegger will be paying more attention to the slums and won't notice our activities here on the plate. I just wish I could do more."

He leaned forward. "You'll be saving a lot of lives tonight, Director. Don't go selling yourself short."

"I've sent my little agent on ahead to see about finding a way down to the slums. If he can get into the pillar in time and reach the console, he may be able to input the emergency override code and deactivate it. As I'm sure you know, every Shinra executive director has such a code. It grants full command access to any system on our network. I've made sure Cait knows mine, just in case."

"He'd better get down there fast," Domino said. "We're running out of time, my friend. Was that all?"

I thought of Jessica, in so much danger now. "No, there's one more thing. A personal matter. I need you to send a certain SOLDIER to my office immediately. I have a mission for him. I don't have the authority to make it an order, but he'll _want_ to do this."

Domino raised an eyebrow. "Who is he? And what's the job?"

"Kunsel, SOLDIER Second Class," I answered at once. "I need him to save my goddaughter."

* * *

I swallowed heavily as I stood with Cloud and Aerith and looked at the Train Graveyard. It was an eerie place, unnaturally cold and lit by a strange, pale blue glow. Empty tracks crisscrossed all through the place amidst long rows of rotting train cars. I thought then of what Biggs and Lena had told us earlier in the week, how they'd gotten lost here as kids and had only barely escaped. And how something strange lurked in the deep gloom and murky shadows.

"Talk about spooky…" Aerith murmured.

Cloud gazed at the ruined trains. "We could easily get lost here, so be careful. Better hurry, though. The others need us."

I nodded. "Yeah. There's still time."

"Aerith…" he turned to her.

She shook her head. "I'm not going home."

He smiled faintly. "Thought you'd say that. Stay close. That goes for you too, Tifa. Keep your eyes open."

"Will do," I said. "I think Sector 7's just past that old warehouse up ahead—see it off in the distance there? Once we get through, we won't have much further to go. I saw a map of this place once, years ago back when I first came to Midgar and started working at _Seventh Heaven._ It fascinated me even though it gave me the creeps."

"What do you know about this place?" Aerith asked.

I thought about it as we got moving. "Well, it's been abandoned for years, as long as anyone in the slums can remember. And all the stories and rumors say it's haunted. But I never used to believe that myself. At least, until recently. Now I'm not so sure…"

She glanced curiously at me. "What do you mean?"

"Biggs and Lena used to play here all the time as kids. I don't know if she ever mentioned it to you. She would always drag him along with her to go searching for ghosts. But I don't think they ever went past the warehouse. They stayed close to Sector 7."

"That definitely sounds like Lena," Aerith chuckled.

I went on. "Yeah. Anyway, the last time they were in here, they got separated. Biggs followed something he thought was Lena, but it really wasn't. I don't know what it was, but she managed to find him before it would've led him deeper into the graveyard. Fog covered everything as they ran for the fence, and they saw dark shapes chasing them. Ghosts, maybe. Biggs and Lena barely got outta there."

Aerith shivered. "Wow… and now we're in here…"

"And we'll get out," Cloud reminded her.

"Right," she agreed. "We will. Just think, though! When this is over and we've saved Sector 7, it'll be quite a story!"

I smiled. "Yeah. I think you should tell it, though."

Aerith laughed. "Definitely! I—"

She didn't get to finish because just then, we heard a loud chopping noise overhead and the roaring of an engine. We looked up just in time to see a Shinra helicopter flying toward Sector 7 and the pillar, its lights bright in the darkness. We sobered at once.

"Come on," Cloud told us. "Gotta keep moving."

I followed him. "We should stay near the light so we can see where we're going. That's my vote."

"Seconded," Aerith added. "I hate the dark…"

We went on, making our way through the maze of train cars as fast as we could. Sometimes we had to go inside them or even climb on top of them to move forward. The air was so still in here, mist swirling off to the sides, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Try as I might, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, that in the dark and the shadows, something was waiting.

Here and there, we ran into a cerulean drake or two. They're more commonly called deenglows. Flying things like little dragons, about ten to twelve feet tall with red, leathery wings, pale blue reptilian bodies, a long, pointed snout, and a spiked tail. They were agile and fast but still no match for us. Between our weapons and magic, we took them down easily enough and got only a few cuts and scratches in return. Nothing Cloud and Aerith couldn't mend.

We were almost to the old warehouse when I heard it. Giggling, off to the right somewhere. I blinked, whipping my head in that direction, but I didn't see anything. Just the ruined bulk of the empty train cars. I was just shaking it off and deciding I was just being a bit jittery because of where we were when I heard it again.

I looked to the left this time. "Did you hear that? A little kid… she was laughing. Playing, I think."

"At this hour?" Cloud said. "Doesn't make sense."

"What else do those stories say, Tifa?" Aerith wondered.

I took a breath to calm my nerves. "That those who get lost in here late at night never get out again."

A few minutes later, we found a door leading into the warehouse. I glanced around us again, but there was nothing. Just the trains and the eerie stillness everywhere. The quiet was almost palpable now, and the icy chill in the air froze my blood. The mist and shadows grew thicker as we stood close together. And then Aerith shrieked as a flurry of dark shapes suddenly flew overhead with an unearthly wail and disappeared again into the gloom past the tracks.

I jumped and let out a little gasp of my own, my heart pounding in my chest. "Okay, I'm officially freaked out now…"

"W-What were those… those things?" Aerith shuddered.

"Dunno," Cloud said. "Steady, girls."

I took his shoulder as he reached for the door. "Yeah. Gotta keep it together. I'm glad you're with us, Cloud."

He nodded. "Got a promise to keep, you know."

"That's right, you do," I agreed.

"It'll be fine," Aerith smiled and took his other arm. "We've got the best bodyguard in Midgar protecting us. Mine! Jessie's too, of course. I bet he's gotten her out of some tight spots."

He shrugged. "A few. But ghosts aren't my thing."

I managed a shaky laugh. "More than a few, I bet. You're just being modest. So come on! After you!"

"Mind letting me go, then?" he said.

We did, and after Cloud opened the door, we went inside. The cold and quiet were worse here, and a thick coat of dust lay on everything. I stepped a little closer to him and noticed that Aerith did the same. Old crates of supplies stood stacked in rows along the walls, and ladders led up to a second level. A huge chunk of collapsed debris and overturned train cars blocked the way ahead.

Aerith glanced nervously about. "Looks like a tomb."

"That's not helping," I breathed.

"Let's just take the ladder," Cloud grimaced. "Should be a way past this dead end upstairs somewhere."

Aerith looked at him. _"Dead_ end? Nice choice of words…"

"We _are_ in a graveyard," I added.

Cloud just sighed and moved to the ladder. We climbed quickly up to the second floor. It overlooked the first, with railings running along the walkways. Offices lined both sides, but the walkways were missing sections, having fallen apart over the years.

We made our way through the offices on the left side, pushing past dust and cobwebs to a doorway in the back. The high glass walls along that side looked out over the warehouse. After heading out through the door, we found ourselves on another part of the walkway. Two narrow catwalks connected it to another walkway on the right side of the place along with those offices. One was broken, but the other was intact, and we used it to cross over to the other side.

"Hey," Cloud pointed. "Looks like a control room in the back. If we can get in there, we should be able to find a way outta this place. Then we'll be almost to Sector 7."

I saw it. "Yeah. How do we get there, though?"

He thought for a minute. "That walkway in front of it's broken, too. We'll probably have to go back downstairs."

"Up and down we go," Aerith chimed. "And up again."

"Something like that," Cloud shrugged.

Suddenly the lights flickered, and everything went dark for several agonizingly long seconds. I thought I heard someone whispering, but I couldn't make out the words. I wasn't sure I wanted to. Then I let out a little yelp when I felt a hand clutching mine, but it was only Aerith. She didn't let go even after the lights came back on.

"Don't scare me like that!" she said to the air. Or the ghosts. "That's really not funny, you know. At all."

"How is it there's still power here?" I wondered.

Cloud shrugged. "Who knows? Might be some old generators still around somewhere. Anyway, we've gotta move."

We went on, heading through more offices on this side, then went through another door and back out to the main part of the warehouse's second floor. This time, were close to the control room, and we hurried down the nearby ladder back to the first floor. We ran into another one of those deenglows down there but dispatched it without any trouble. I glanced at the barrier of debris and wreckage.

"Made it to the other side," I said. "Now we've just gotta find a way back up and into the control room."

"Over there!" Aerith pointed to another ladder.

Cloud nodded. "I see it."

It was in the corner on the left side of the warehouse, and we went up quickly after passing by a large set of double doors that stood closed on our right. With luck, we'd find a way to open them from the control room and escape from this spooky place.

When we got back to the second floor, we saw the walkway on this side was mostly intact. We followed it around to a small door at the top of a short flight of steps. The control room was right on the other side. I could see into it through the wide glass windows that looked out over the rest of the abandoned warehouse.

The cold was deeper inside the control room, and so was the dark. A few of the consoles still had power, though. So far, so good. Charts of train schedules, track layouts, and maintenance reports lined the walls, and several metal storage lockers stood in a row along the other side of the room. The tile floor was covered in dust.

"Spread out," Cloud told us. "There's gotta be a lever or something in here to open those doors downstairs."

"We're on it!" Aerith said.

We split up, each searching a different part of the room. I took the front, moving over to a row of consoles sitting just below the windows. I didn't see anything at first, but then a moment later, I spotted a large, handle-shaped lever. Above it, four words had been imprinted in thick black letters right onto the panel:

MAIN DOOR ACCESS CONTROL

"Guys!" I called to the others. "I found it! Over here!"

Cloud nodded as he and Aerith joined me. "Good job, Tif. It's still got power. Lucky for us."

Aerith pulled it. "Time to get outta here!"

As soon as she did, there was a deep rumbling from below us, and the doors swung open. But at the same time, the lights flickered again, and several other consoles suddenly sparked and sputtered. A pale blue mist swirled around the floor as an unearthly howling filled the air like the shrill wailing of a banshee and a chill, piercing breeze swept past us as we stood there together by the console.

The mist grew thicker, rising slowly into the air until it broke apart into a host of dark shapes, things with arms but no legs. Round bodies and ragged, hooded cloaks that hung on them like shreds of cloth. As I felt my blood freeze in my veins, the ghosts or spirits or whatever they were spun around and around in a hellish vortex as their keening grew louder until finally, they merged together to form a single larger ghoul with six clawed arms and five dark eyes.

"Uh-oh…" Aerith gulped.

* * *

"Director!" Kunsel said, hurrying into my office. "I got here as fast as could. I was already on my way to see you when Deputy Mayor Hart found me. It's about Jessie, isn't it?"

I nodded, standing up. "Yes. We don't have much time."

Determination shone in his eyes, deep blue with the telltale glow of mako, and his short, light brown hair was neatly parted. His sleeveless, dark purple uniform with its twin metal shoulder guards, black leather harness, boots, and wide belt with its engraved insignia clearly marked him as a SOLDIER Second Class. He often went without his helm, but he always had his sword when on duty.

Kunsel's gloved hands clenched. "She's in Sector 7."

"That's right," I explained. "As you know, she's been living there for some time now. Fortunately, you did very well in keeping that a secret. It's highly unlikely that Jessica could have remained hidden down there for so long if it wasn't for you. Your hard work over these last two years has kept her father's eyes fixed here on the plate."

It had been a difficult choice for him to stay, though. He had loved Jessica, and she had loved him. They'd have been married by now if not for her father. Their engagement had been only a few months old when he had discovered where she was. Kunsel had protected her and helped her escape the attempt on her life.

But it hadn't been without a high price. She'd been driven from the plate, away from her life, her love, and everything she had known. And that had included Kunsel. He had stayed behind to act as a shield and a decoy for her, to misdirect and mislead her father into thinking Jessica was still on the plate and to keep a close watch on him.

It hadn't been easy for Kunsel to lose her, and it had taken time for him to heal. I had helped as much as I could, talking with him and also listening. Although he had eventually let her go, he still cared for her a great deal and would do anything for her.

"He's found her again, though, hasn't he?" Kunsel said.

I nodded. "Yes, but that's not our main concern right now. You see, Jessica's in the pillar right at this very moment."

He blinked. "She's in Avalanche?"

"She is," I explained. "And she's fighting to save her home. Shinra's behind this atrocity, not Avalanche. The Turks are already en route. So we have to move quickly, Kunsel. Heidegger and the president mean to bring down the plate and destroy Sector 7."

His eyes widened. "No! I'm getting Jessie outta there, sir! We've got to stop this thing before it's too late!"

I knew we did. "We can, but we have only one chance. You're aware that Jessica once worked here and what she did, who she was. Her rank entitled her to certain privileges, and they were never revoked after she left. I saw to that. She knows what to do."

"So that means Jessie still has—" Kunsel said.

"Correct," I said. "And that's what I'm counting on. You need to get down there, find her in the pillar, and keep the Shinra forces occupied long enough for her to shut down the control console and lock it out. If the Turks can't access the console, they can't detonate the bomb. It's our only chance, Kunsel. Do you understand?"

His eyes shone fiercely. "Yes, sir. I'll get it done."

I knew he would. "One other thing. You won't be going alone. Cait will meet you at the entrance to the Corkscrew Tunnel. I already have a motorcycle fueled and ready to go for you downstairs. It's likely the exit to Sector 7 will be sealed before long, so you need to get in there before that happens. And you may run into Heidegger's troops on the way. So it'll probably come down to a fight."

"I don't care if I have to cut my way through a hundred of 'em," he swore. "I'll get to Jessie. I'll save her."

I went on. "Good. Cait is our insurance policy. He can do what has to be done, just the same as Jessica. If necessary, he'll stay behind in the pillar and disable the console himself. He's expendable. Jessica is not. If things don't go well, get her out of there as fast as you can. Her safety is your top priority, Kunsel. Is that clear?"

He nodded. "As crystal, sir. You can count on me."

"Then go," I urged him. "Go now!"

Kunsel saluted, then left at once, his slim broadsword emblazoned with the SOLDIER emblem on the hilt shining on his back as he raced out of my office. I had done all I could. Now it was up to him and Cait. With a sigh, I gazed out the window at Sector 7.


	45. FORTY-FOUR

## FORTY-FOUR

We found Biggs an' Wedge on the third floor along with a few guys from the watch. They was in a firefight with about four Shinra soldiers, guns blazin' as sparks flew off the metal girders and concrete columns. Our boots clanked on the metal floor as we joined 'em for jus' a second to drive the soldiers behind some crates an' power generators for cover. Jessie kept 'em pinned down, her aim deadly sharp, an' took one of 'em out before he could shoot back at her.

"'Bout time you guys showed up!" Biggs yelled, firin' away with his handgun. "Bastards got here just before we did."

"Keep 'em busy!" I ordered. "Catch up when ya can."

Wedge gave the other soldiers a taste of his flamethrower. "Will do, boss! There's more of these guys further up, though. Gotta be trying to keep us from getting to the top."

I grimaced an' kept shootin'. "Knew it'd be a fight!"

"You ain't kiddin'!" Biggs agreed. "Now get going! We'll take care of these Shinra assholes. Go!"

"Be careful, guys!" Jessie said.

Wedge shot her a thumbs up. "You too, Jessie!"

Jus' then, two of them soldiers popped outta cover, shot one of our watch friends, an' ducked back behind the crates as the guys shot back. I growled, fired off a few rounds, then hurried up the stairs, Jessie jus' a step behind me. She passed me quick, though, takin' 'em two at a time, her expression fierce an' determined as she held her gun in both hands. As I followed her an' shot at the choppers circlin' the pillar, I started to wonder if maybe I'd been too hard on her.

Found us another battle on the fourth floor, Shinra soldiers an' our folks from the watch shootin' back an' forth amidst the steel beams that supported the ceilin' an' surrounded the huge, curved bulk of the inner pillar itself. Me an' Jessie came out shootin', then hurried on amidst the muzzle flashes an' gunfire splittin' the air. Wasn't no more we could do. We had to reach the console and keep Shinra from usin' it. Everyone in the neighborhood watch knew that by now.

An' so it went, floor after floor, battle after battle. Jessie an' I passed more of the watch fightin' on the stairs an' takin' shots at the choppers, but them things was too fast. Took down some of our people, screamin' as they got hit, an' I swore under my breath. Then one of the choppers shone its lights at us as a voice came on over a loudspeaker. We slowed a bit to listen, not that it'd make a difference.

"Attention, Avalanche!" the voice demanded. "You are surrounded! Stand down and surrender immediately! Shinra will not negotiate with terrorists! Resist and we will use lethal force!"

I snorted. "Got your lethal force right here, asshole!"

Punctuated that with a bursta bullets from my gun-arm an' scored a hit on the tail as it flew past. Not enough to down the thing, but I got its attention, sure enough. Jessie opened up on it as well, shootin' again an' again as we climbed until it got outta range. When it swung back as we got to the seventh floor, it fired back with a triple-barreled minigun mounted on the underside of its body.

"Get down!" I grabbed Jessie by the shoulder.

Not waitin' for her to answer, I pulled her down along with me as I dove to the floor, shieldin' her with my body as a streama gunfire swept over us. It tore into the stairs, beams, barrels, an' more of our friends in the watch. The folks it missed, the goddamn Shinra soldiers took down before they even knew what was happenin'.

Soon as the chopper flew off again, I swept my gun-arm across an' sprayed them soldiers with bullets long enough for me an' Jessie to get back on our feet an' get movin' again. I kept on firin', coverin' her while she sprinted up the stairs, then ran after her.

"They set us up!" Jessie snarled as we climbed. "It's a trap!"

"Whaddya mean?" I fired at a passing chopper.

She slapped another clip into her gun. "They're making it look like _we're_ the ones trying to drop the plate!"

"Goddamn!" I spat. "An' they're here to save it."

Jessie dropped a pair of Shinra soldiers with a flurry of shots as we hit the eighth floor. "Probably trying to make a show out of it, knowing them. I should've seen it sooner."

I followed her to the next seta stairs while the watch held off more troops. "Ain't nothin' we can do 'bout it now, Jessie. Jus' gotta get to the top an' keep 'em from blowin' this place."

"We will," she swore, shootin' as she went. "Count on it."

* * *

The ghoul flew around us, its eerie wail filling the room as Aerith, Tifa, and I backed away from the console and readied ourselves. I drew my sword and launched myself at it with several quick slashes, scoring a few hits on its ragged, pale gray body before it suddenly disappeared and I was only cutting air.

It reappeared a second later, but it was semitransparent, and when Tifa and I struck at it, our blows went right through as if it wasn't even there. Aerith's fire magic, though, burned right across its ghostly body, and it lurched backward, screeching in pain. Then it responded with a burst of bluish-white flame of its own, and we all scattered to avoid it. I saw the ghoul solidify again and suddenly understood exactly what we had to do to beat this creepy thing.

"Stick to magic when it fades away like that!" I told the girls. "Save the weapons for when it's solid."

"Loud and clear, Cloud!" Tifa called.

She and I laid into the monster, taking the chance to deal out some damage while it was still in its physical form. Dodging its sharp claws, I cut at the ghoul with a triple slash combo as Tifa unleashed a shower of punches and kicks before it faded again.

Suddenly a storm of objects flew about the room—binders, chairs, shelves, even a file cabinet—and Aerith cried out, stumbling backward as she was hit by one thing after another. Swinging Buster, I knocked as many of the flying objects away as I could while Tifa struck the ghostly monster with a blast of ice. The thing shrugged it off, though, and sent a chair flying at her in response. She backhanded it away easily as I got to Aerith and helped her to her feet.

Then she and I unloaded with our own spells, fire and lightning at the same time. The ghoul crumpled under the assault, especially under the scorching flames of Aerith's magic. When it went solid again, I ran in and slashed at it some more while Tifa slammed her feet into it from the other side with a leaping kick followed by a spinning roundhouse. I buried Buster into the ghoul's body.

"I don't have time for this shit!" I growled.

Then I jumped, taking Buster right up with me and tearing a deep gouge into the monster's hide as I did. It screamed, thrashing in midair, and Tifa followed up with a series of rising punches followed by a hard, diving kick that would've shattered its ribs if it had any. Then the ghoul went ethereal only to be greeted by more of Aerith's searing fire, and it kept writhing as she and I piled on the magic.

With a final screech, it fell apart in a burst of dark energy and then disappeared. The lights came back on only seconds later, and we knew it was over. Letting out a relieved sigh, I shouldered Buster and went to check on the girls before moving on.

"You two alright?" I asked.

Aerith smiled. "Never better!"

Tifa nodded. "I'm fine, Cloud. I just hope that's the last of whatever lives out here. I've had my fill of ghosts."

"Me too," I agreed. "The doors are open, so let's go."

Aerith pointed. "Look! Over there!"

We followed her gaze and noticed that, during the fight, one of the storage lockers had gotten blown open, the door swinging outward on silent hinges. Most of what was inside was junk—a tattered coat, some papers, an old thermos—but sitting on a shelf were half a dozen vials. I knew what they were at once.

"Ethers," I said, picking them up. "Good catch."

Aerith grinned. "Thanks, Cloud! We deserve a reward after all that hassle, don't you think?"

I did. "Yeah. Two for each of us."

"Bet these'll come in handy," Tifa agreed, taking hers.

"No doubt," I said, giving a pair to Aerith.

We left the control room after that and headed back downstairs to find the main doors were indeed open, just as I'd thought. We followed them back outside, where more abandoned trains sat empty on rows of old tracks amidst the bluish glow of the place. A few of them were still lit and seemingly had power, and as we made our way forward, I knew we'd probably have to make use of them. When we found another train blocking the way out a few minutes later, I knew I was right. And what we'd have to do to clear the path.

"Another barrier," Tifa sighed. "Nothing's ever easy, is it?"

I shook my head. "No. But we can get past it."

"How?" Aerith asked.

"See that other train that's lit up?" I pointed to it. "We can use it to push the first one outta the way."

She clapped my shoulder. "Good thinking!"

I nodded. "Thanks. But this time, _I_ pull the lever. Got it?"

"Yeah…" Aerith laughed sheepishly.

We hurried over to the train and hopped inside. The controls were up front, and after looking at all the dials and levers, I figured we could do this. While the girls looked around uneasily, I turned on the engine, gripped the gear handles, and pushed them forward. The train lurched forward and, just as I'd hoped, I was able to use it to push the other one aside. Then I threw ours into reverse and backed it up until I'd gotten it into the spot we'd originally started out in.

Just then, the train's radio crackled to life. Aerith blinked as a voice came on the line. It was a man. "Do you have the plate separation code, Reno? I don't intend to repeat myself."

"Tseng…" Aerith murmured.

"Yeah, yeah, of course I do!" Reno's voice came back. "We can drop the damn thing whenever. It's just that…"

Tseng continued. "Your orders have been confirmed."

Reno hissed. "I know, but it's bullshit!"

"Threats to public order are to be put down," Tseng answered. "It's what we've always done. You know that."

"Hell of a time to grow a conscience…" Reno muttered.

Tseng went on. "I'll join you soon. Tseng out."

Reno sighed. "Yeah, yeah…"

Then the radio went silent. None of us moved at first. It was really happening. I had known it would be, but hearing that transmission… I couldn't shake the dread in my heart. And I saw it mirrored in the girls' eyes as I looked at them. We just stood there for a moment as the awful reality of it sank in. Then I thought of Jessie, tightened my fist, and left the train, determined to get to her.

"Come on!" I called to the others. "We're almost there!"

We hurried past the trains and into an area lined with freight cars. This must've been where they were kept in storage, but at the moment, I didn't care. The chain link fence that bordered Sector 7 was on the far end only about fifty feet away. But as we sped across the area, mist rose up around us, and suddenly I couldn't see the girls. The pale bluish fog was everywhere now, and the cold deepened.

I called out to them. "Tifa! Aerith!"

But there was no answer. I turned around, calling for them again. I only heard my own voice, though. And I decided that when this was all over, I was gonna ask Biggs and Lena what the hell had possessed them to ever come to the train graveyard in the first place. Nothing felt right here. It was eerie, dark, and dangerous.

"Cloud…" a familiar voice suddenly whispered.

I stared when I saw its owner. "Jessie?"

There she was, walking through the mist, her steps slow and silent, as if she were floating over the ground like a mirage. I watched, totally unable to move, as she drew closer to me. Jessie had a small, cold smirk on her face, and her brown eyes were so dark in the gloom they looked almost black. I shivered, suddenly uneasy.

"Found ya…" she breathed.

I took a step back. "You're not real."

Jessie—or the thing pretending to be her—laughed, her voice slow and eerie as she circled around me. "Oh, I'm real enough, Cloud. Come back with me to the pillar. It's not far…"

"I…" I said, somehow unable to resist her. "Alright…"

"That's it. Follow me…" Jessie purred.

She stopped in front of me, an icy smile on her face, then began to walk away into the mist. Without even thinking about it, I started after her, my mind as clouded by fog as my surroundings. It was like I was a spectator inside my own body, helplessly watching myself move when I had no control over it myself.

Jessie's chill voice floated softly in the air. "That's it, Cloud. Let the black wind take you. I know you're afraid for her. That she'll die. You're almost out of time. And it scares you…"

Fear clutched at my heart, and I could hardly breathe. I found that my feet were moving on their own, step by step after the thing that had taken Jessie's shape. I knew it wasn't her, but I couldn't stop myself, as if I was a puppet on its strings. But then, just as I was about to drift away back into the heart of the train graveyard, I heard another voice. A real one. A voice I recognized at once.

" _Cloud!"_ Tifa yelled.

I blinked. "Tifa? Where are you?"

And suddenly she was there, grabbing my arm. "I'm here! Snap out of it! That thing's not Jessie!"

A blast of flame slammed into it, and even though I knew Tifa was right, it still shocked me to see Jessie enveloped in that blazing fireball. The creature screeched and faded away as Aerith moved in beside me, her staff ready and her expression determined.

"We're here, Cloud," she said.

I blinked and gasped, suddenly myself again. "Aerith?"

She nodded. "Stay with us."

Just then, a vision appeared in the mist in front of us, and my eyes widened. It was Jessie, fighting in the pillar, Barret ahead of her. Shinra soldiers fired at them as they climbed, and Jessie barely ducked aside in time as sparks bounced off the railing of the stairs. I jumped in spite of myself when I saw how she'd nearly been shot.

Several of the neighborhood watch were there as well, buying time with their lives for Jessie and Barret to get to the top. They looked to be at about the tenth floor now. I shivered, realizing she was almost there. Almost to the place where I'd seen her in my dreams. Then a swarm of helitroopers—specialized Shinra grunts that flew through the air using rotor gauntlets on each arm—suddenly dove in and tore the rest of the watch apart. Barret yelled and shot one down as he and Jessie raced up the stairs to the next floor as fast as they could.

After that, the vision shifted to give a wider view of the pillar, and I felt a cold sliver of fear in my heart when I saw three Shinra helicopters circling around it. I recognized one of them right away as the one from my dream—the one that had killed Jessie. It was still hovering near the lower floors for now, but I knew that could change at any second. Then I felt a firm hand on my shoulder.

"It wants you afraid," Tifa said. "It wants you scared."

I looked at her. "It's doing a damn good job."

Aerith touched my arm. "Don't let it beat you, Cloud. That's what it wants. It feeds on fear. That's why it showed you Jessie. But you haven't lost her yet. And you're not going to."

I nodded, her words reassuring me and giving me strength. I knew time was short, but there was still a chance I could save her. Aerith and Tifa both knew it. I saw it in their eyes. Then I drew Buster, my resolve growing firm and sure as I gripped the sword in my hands and my two friends stood at my side as the vision faded.

"Not today," I swore.

Aerith readied her staff. "We're gonna save Jessie. And Sector 7. No doubt about it. We won't let fear stop us!"

"Damn right!" Tifa agreed, raising her fists.

As the creature reappeared and took shape, I hefted Buster. "Time to kick ass and get the hell outta here!"

* * *

I sped through the streets of Sector 8, the motorcycle's engine loud in my ears. It was a Motonox Gust with a mint green body and chrome undercarriage. Jessie had loved bikes, and I had taken her out for a ride on one of these lots of times back when we had been seeing each other a few years ago. Before she had left for the slums.

The train station was still being repaired after all the damage it had suffered when Reactor 1 had exploded, but the way into the Corkscrew Tunnel was still open. As I swerved onto the tracks, I heard the guards shouting and trying to lower the gate. But it suddenly stalled out about halfway down, right according to plan. Then a small black form darted across one of the beams and jumped down onto the bike behind me as I sped through the open gate and into the tunnel.

"Good job, Cait!" I said.

He chuckled. "Thanks, Kunsel! Wasn't hard tae do!"

The wind from the Gust's acceleration ruffled my hair as we raced down the middle of the tracks. I drove with my right hand and held my sword in the other. Heidegger was sure to send his forces to stop me as soon as he found out I was on my way to Sector 7. He knew Jessie and I had been involved once and that I'd help her derail his horrible plan if I was able to get to her and protect her.

There were times I had wondered if I had made the right choice in staying behind, but Heidegger had been obsessed with finding her. Still was, and I'd spent the last two years taking him across the plate on one wild chocobo chase after another. Marissa, her old boss at Shinra and a close friend of hers, had helped me do that. She wasn't that much older than Jessie, and it hadn't been too hard for her to look the part. It was a risk, but Marissa had been glad to do it.

We had led Heidegger's men on as much as we could, giving them false leads to make him think Jessie was still on the plate. We'd had our share of close calls, but we'd always gotten away before his troops could catch up to us. And despite my misgivings about how dangerous it was, Marissa had also created some sightings on her own, letting herself be spotted before slipping away again.

I worried about her, but I hadn't stopped her, knowing it would be effective and keep Heidegger from getting suspicious. And I'd also kept my eyes and ears wide open at the Shinra Building, keeping track of his ongoing search for Jessie from there. As a skilled systems engineer and my friend, Marissa had helped me out on that end too. She didn't work there anymore, but she was very good at hacking into Shinra's network. And while she didn't have Jessie's natural gift for stuff like that, Marissa was still very talented in her own right.

She also had a personal score to settle with Shinra because she had lost her husband in the Reactor 3 massacre several years ago. Jessie had eventually uncovered the truth and shared it with her long after they'd both left the company. And as for me, finding out Shinra's dark secrets was something that I'd always been pretty good at, ever since my friend Zack—another SOLDIER—had still been around.

Until now, Heidegger had never even suspected Jessie had gone to the slums. Between leaving him numerous false trails and making sure he never heard about the occasional real glimpses of her down there by people who thought they'd recognized her from her time as an actress, I had kept him away from her as much as I could.

As I drove on, I heard engines behind me. "Here they come!"

"Ready, lad!" Cait chimed in.

He was a robotic black cat with a red cape, brown shoes, and a gold crown on his head. Although he looked silly, I'd seen his skills in using materia before, and I knew he'd brought some with him. So had I. Part of being in SOLDIER meant being proficient in casting spells as well as fighting with a sword. And I was good at both.

The first wave caught up to us just seconds later. Three motorcycle troopers, their rifles ready as they drove their bikes. They had to know they couldn't stop a SOLDIER, but I knew they'd try anyway. I swerved as they opened fire, deflecting some of the bullets with my sword while Cait hurled a burst of ice into one of his attackers.

As he flew off his bike with a startled cry, I swept my sword across at another one as he pulled up alongside me. He whipped up his gun to block the attack, but my blade cut right through it and into him. He fell to the ground as his driverless motorcycle crashed and collapsed. That left only one, at least for the moment.

Cait yelped as bullets flew past him, and I quickly spun the Gust to the right, coming back to face the way we'd come. As I closed in on the surprised trooper, I focused on my materia and sent a blast of fire into his bike's engine, igniting it. Then I drove right through the explosion, turning around again and speeding on down the tunnel as the burning wreckage and its rider tumbled away.

A pair of Shinra attack drones flew past us less than a minute later, sizzling with electricity as they fired blue bolts of it one after another. I pushed the Gust first left and then right, dodging the blasts as Cait sent lightning of his own sparking into one of the mechs, the materia on his little wrist guard glowing bright green. The drone exploded, and when I caught up to the other one, I shattered it with a single quick swing of my sword. It flew apart, and we drove on.

Another pair of Shina soldiers drove up not long after that, passing us and dropping grenades in our path. I swerved to avoid them as they exploded, shaking the Gust but not knocking it over. Then another one came in fast, almost on top of us as it went off. I yanked hard to the left and just barely scraped by it at the last second, nearly running into the wall as the heat from the blast washed over us.

"Whoa!" Cait exclaimed. "That was tae close, laddie!"

I didn't argue. "Sure was, Cait. Let's explain to them what a mistake they're making trying to stop us."

He laughed. "Ye got it, Kunsel! Hit it!"

I gunned the engine, and in just a few seconds, we caught up to the soldiers. While Cait scorched one with a fork of lightning, I swung my sword at the other. He moved out of range for a moment, then rammed us, shaking the Gust with the impact as the other soldier lost control of his bike and smashed into the wall.

Pulling back, the other soldier fired his gun, but I got my sword up in time to block the shots. It had only been a feint, though, as he jerked his bike back toward us again. But I was ready this time, and as soon as he got close, I swept my sword down and across—not at him, but at his bike. The blade cut the front wheel right off, and both the trooper and his ruined motorcycle suddenly flew up into the air and into a forward spin before crashing back to the tracks.

We barely got a chance to breathe before two more soldiers showed up just a short distance behind us, guns ready. I was just bracing myself for the attack when suddenly they yelled and tried to get out of the way as a third biker overtook them, knocking them aside in a quick, deadly sweep of his large red motorcycle. With a long mullet of blond hair and the blue and black uniform of a SOLDIER Third Class, he laughed like a lunatic as the other bikes exploded in his wake.

"Oy, he's a nutter, ain't he?" Cait said.

* * *

The thing in the mist was monstrous. The front was like some kind of armored horse, its eyes burning red, its fur the color of dried blood, and its mane black. The back of it was a twisted chariot of metal, gears, and wheels, and on top of it sat a shadowy, skeletal figure in a tattered, hooded brown cloak. Its skull gazed coldly out at us, a wicked red glow shining within its empty sockets.

"Eligor…" Aerith murmured, staring at it.

"What?" I looked at her.

She didn't take her eyes off it. "That's what it is, Cloud. All the pain and memories, all the sorrow left in this place… taking shape. A thing born out of fear and nightmares."

Tifa didn't waver. "Lena was right. Something strange _was_ here. It's gotta be trying to stop us from getting to the pillar."

"It'll fail," I said, staring hard at Eligor.

"Nothing's gonna keep us from our friends," Tifa agreed.

Aerith spun her staff. "Let's bust this ghost!"

Eligor charged, a long bladed staff in one hand. I blocked its thrust with Buster, then hit it with several quick slashes while Tifa pounded it from the other side. The horse neighed as the monster rolled past us to drive around the area. Aerith scorched it with a blast of fire as it struck at us again, driving it back for a moment. Then it rushed at her, hooves clopping madly and wheels turning.

Aerith cried out and just barely got her staff up in time to block the attack, but she still staggered backward as Eligor tried to trample her. I dove onto it from behind, hitting it with a leaping overhead chop. Tifa followed up with a blinding shower of punches and kicks, and between us we knocked Eligor off balance long enough for Aerith to dart out of the way and torch it with another fire spell.

The monster righted itself quickly, though, speeding all around the place and striking at us one after another with its staff. We answered it with sword, fists, and magic, pummeling it again and again. Then, after I had cut at it with a double slash, Eligor rose up into the air above our heads. It flew over us, back and forth, then hovered for a moment, just long enough to hurl a rain of spectral javelins at us.

"Move!" I yelled to the girls.

We all scattered, diving away from the barrage, but even so, one of the javelins sliced me on the arm as it went past, and I felt a chill in my blood as I rolled away and readied Buster again. Eligor floated above us and raised its arm as the horse neighed again, and a curving barrier of pale bluish energy shimmered to life around it. When Aerith unloaded with another burst of fire, it simply bounced off the barrier and seared her instead, sending her shrieking to the ground.

"Aerith!" Tifa went to her.

"I'm okay," she assured her, letting Tifa help her up. "Just surprised me, that's all. We gotta do something about that barrier, though. Spells aren't gonna work until we do."

Tifa glared at Eligor. "We pound it 'till it breaks."

"Exactly," I agreed.

While Aerith hung back and used a healing wind to keep us on our feet and tend to our injuries, Tifa and I jumped up and struck at Eligor from both sides, hitting the barrier as hard as we could. At first, it held, shuddering but not giving way. Eligor flew past us, but we chased after it and jumped in again, attacking the barrier with blow after blow from my sword and Tifa's fists and feet. It flickered but stayed up. I could tell it was weakening, though. Tifa saw it, too.

But before she could land another hit, Eligor turned its empty gaze on her, and its burning red eyes flashed. Tifa froze, caught by that dark stare, and fell to the ground, unconscious. I roared, taking advantage of Eligor's momentary distraction as it looked at her, and slammed Buster into the barrier. It collapsed and disappeared.

"Now, Aerith!" I called to her.

While I hurried over to Tifa, who was already stirring, Aerith shot another blast of magical fire into Eligor, then swept her staff forward in a tight arc, sending a beam of white energy cutting into the monster. It screeched and fell to the ground. And as it started racing about, I knew exactly what we had to do to destroy it.

"The wheels!" I said, helping Tifa stand up. "Take 'em out!"

She pumped her fist. "They're gone!"

Hefting Buster, I went after one while she focused on the other and Aerith kept Eligor busy with her magic. I struck at the joint connecting the wheel to the monster's body, and within only a few hits, I severed it completely. Eligor lurched and fell to the side as Tifa struck the second wheel with a fierce diving kick. And then I saw a flash of yellow light as she rushed at Eligor in a blur, her hand sweeping out to take the thing's bladed staff right out of its grasp.

Tifa tossed it to Aerith. "Here! Nabbed it for you!"

"Thanks!" she grinned, catching it.

Working quickly as Tifa and I kept up our assault on Eligor, Aerith took her materia out of the mythril staff and put it into the bladed one, then tossed her old weapon aside. With an expert spin, she threw more blazing fire spells with it, stronger now with her new staff. Eligor tried to rise into the air again, but we forced it down.

Tifa slammed her fist right into Eligor's skull. "Go to hell!"

"And stay there!" Aerith added.

She sent another ray of white energy slamming into it as Tifa and I backed away, and when it struck, Eligor exploded, an unearthly scream filling the air for a moment as Aerith's power consumed it. Then, as the sound faded, the mist melted away and the air got warmer around us. I looked at the girls as I caught my breath.

"Nice job," I smirked.

Aerith nodded. "I knew we could do it."

Tifa walked past us, her eyes on the fence and what was beyond it. "Look! We made it! The pillar's still standing!"

I followed her gaze. In the distance, past the train station, the pillar stood tall in the night, intact. But even from out here, we could still see the telltale orange bursts of gunfire all throughout it as well as the three Shinra helicopters circling around it. Then I thought of Jessie, fighting desperately in the midst of that chaos.

"Let's go," I told the girls. "We're done here."

After sharing a determined glance, we all rushed across the freight storage area to the fence. There was a gate on one end, and although it was closed, Tifa took care of that with a single hard kick to the lock. As the gate swung open, we hurried through, and I raced toward the pillar at a dead run, the girls just a step behind me.


	46. FORTY-FIVE

## FORTY-FIVE

I recognized the SOLDIER on the red bike right away. He hefted a standard-issue sword not all that different from mine as he landed and spun in a complete circle not far behind Cait and I, the wreckage of his allies' motorcycles burning in his wake. Not that he cared. Roche had a well-earned reputation for recklessness and a lack of consideration for others. He was a thrill-seeker, addicted to speed and stunts. I still didn't know how he'd made it to Third Class, but then, SOLDIER wasn't what it used to be. They'd all but forgotten honor.

"Well, hello!" Roche jeered. "Mind if I cut in?"

Cait's whiskers twitched. "Who's that?"

I frowned. "A SOLDIER. Crazy as hell, too. I should've figured he'd show up sooner or later."

"Oh, it's you!" Roche grinned. "Kunsel, my old friend!"

"We're not friends!" I reminded him.

He pulled up beside me as we drove down the tunnel. "Oh, but we are! Rivals in the sword! And now in the saddle! I'm up for a race. Just one. Think you'll be my new dance partner?"

My eyes narrowed. "Not a chance."

"Ah, so sorry!" he crowed, pulling ahead of me. "Your words fail to reach my ears, sluggish and slow as they are!"

"This lad's furniture's a wee bit loose upstairs," Cait said.

I nodded. "You're not kidding."

Roche laughed maniacally, lifted his sword, and hurled several arcs of pale, greenish-white energy toward us. I swerved the Gust right and left to avoid them and then returned the favor, sweeping my own blade forward and throwing a light blue energy bolt back at him. It struck his bike on the side, shaking him but not much else.

"Oh, lively!" he chuckled.

As I tried to catch up to Roche, we kept trading blows from afar as our continual flurries of energy flew back and forth across the tracks. It went on for another minute or so before I finally closed the distance to him and brandished my sword.

"Back off!" I yelled. "I don't have time for your games!"

He sneered. "Oh, but there's always time for a duel! I know who's at the center of your thoughts. But to reach her, you must first defeat me, the Speed Demon! Fight or flee, what's it to be?"

I slashed at him. "Bring it!"

"Yes! Yes!" Roche laughed. "A contest of wills and blades!"

He deflected my attack with a quick forehand slice, and metal rang as our weapons clashed again and again. I blocked strike after strike as we drove along, but I couldn't land any, either. We were deadlocked, at least for the moment, and I knew I'd have to come up with something a bit different to beat him. Roche was a skilled swordsman, but so was I. And I'd earned the rank of Second Class for a reason.

As we kept on fighting and driving, yellow sparks flying with every hit, I realized Roche's obsession with the duel was a potential weakness I could exploit. And I saw that I was already starting to wear him down a little. A plan started to form in my mind as our swords clashed again, but before I could put it in motion, Roche gunned his engine and raced ahead of me in a sudden burst of speed.

"Oy! What's he up tae now?" Cait shouted.

I grimaced. "Being a dumbass. More of the same shit."

"Not bad," Roche said. "You have promise and an abiding affection for your mount! But there is still more, much more! You must unleash your bike's true potential, Kunsel. Like this!"

He pulled his motorcycle up almost vertical, raised his blade above his head, and called forth a blazing storm of lightning that forked back down the tunnel toward us. I yanked the Gust hard, first to the left and then to the right, just barely dodging the assault as Roche raced his red bike right onto the wall, crowing all the while. I hit the gas just as he let loose with another barrage of electricity.

"Hang on!" I told Cait.

I shot the Gust forward as fast as I could while Roche sped back to the ground, and then it was my turn to go driving on the wall. Just as I got up to the top, I hit the boosters. Cait clung to me and let out a loud squawk as we raced upside down across the ceiling to the other wall in a split second, and right as we passed over Roche, I slashed downward with my sword, slicing a deep gash into the front of his motorcycle that left a bright line of fire where I'd struck.

"Impressive!" he said as I brought the Gust back to the tracks. "I do believe this round is yours. I may have to find myself a different dance partner to truly test myself, however. A far stronger blade to duel. Until we meet again, my dear old friend!"

Then Roche veered away and drove back up the tunnel toward the plate, cackling to himself the whole time. As for me, I ignored him and sped onward, glad the battle was finally over but also afraid it had cost me too much time. We didn't have any to lose.

"Ye did it, Kunsel!" Cait cheered.

I nodded. "Yeah. Wouldn't get too excited, though. Reinforcements probably aren't that far behind. And we're almost to Sector 7. It's gonna get a lot tougher once we're in there."

He sighed. "I know, laddie. It gets bumpy from here."

The exit to Sector 7 was only a minute or so away, but it felt like an eternity. The red lights of the Corkscrew Tunnel flashed by as we raced down the tracks. I was bent low over the front of the Gust, my mind on Jessie and the pillar as I drove. She was probably near the top by now, I figured. It was a long and dangerous climb, but I knew I could make it. I _had_ to. I wasn't going to lose her again.

* * *

"Drop your weapons and surrender or we'll open fire!" the soldier said. "We won't allow you to destroy the pillar!"

I snorted. "We the ones tryin' to save it, asshole!"

There was a whole platoon of 'em here on the twelfth floor. They'd been waitin' for us, no doubt. Set in place to keep anyone from reachin' the top. But that meant that if Jessie an' I could get past 'em, we' be able to get the resta the way up to the platform without a fight. There musta been two dozen of 'em all told, though, guns raised an' ready. They had us pinned down behind a paira concrete columns between the topa the last flighta stairs an' the next set.

"Enough of your Avalanche lies!" the soldier snarled.

"Shut up!" I fired a burst at 'em, then ducked back behind cover as they shot back. "Can't really drop this thing, in case ya hadn't noticed! I don't take orders from Shinra dogs, neither!"

That idiot guard yelled to the others. "Take 'em out!"

They all opened up then, shootin' our way, but Jessie an' I kept still behind the columns, our own weapons ready. We'd hafta make a break for it, but with alla them troops there, gettin' to the stairs wasn't gonna be easy. There was a good chance one or both of us'd get hurt or worse on the way if we tried, an' I couldn't let that happen.

Too many good people had already died, an' I wasn't gonna let it be for nothin'. None of the watch had made it past the eleventh floor, but I could still hear 'em fightin' below us, the few of 'em that was left. They'd gotten me an' Jessie this far with their lives, blood, an' sweat. So we _had_ to keep movin', for their sakes an' ours.

"Barret!" Jessie whispered after the soldiers had stopped firin' for a moment. "I've got an idea!"

Her gun in one hand, she reached into her belt pouch an' took out one of her smoke bombs, then winked at me. I grinned back, seein' jus' what she had in mind and lettin' her know I understood. Jessie nodded as she lifted the little white ball, an' I hefted my gun-arm to show her I was ready. Soon as them guards started reloadin' their guns, I spun out an' shot another streama bullets their way.

At the same time, Jessie tossed the smoke bomb, and as soon as the blast went up, coverin' the area an' hidin' us from the soldiers, we both ran for the stairs, shouts an' gunshots chasin' us the whole way. We got there in one piece, though, and sped up 'em fast as we could. But as we did, I heard that guard captain givin' orders again.

"Follow 'em!" he shouted. "You six stay here and hold this position. And get one of those damn choppers up here! Everyone else, with me! We're taking out those Avalanche scum! Move it!"

Seemed to take forever, but Jessie an' I reached the thirteenth floor only 'bout a minute or so later. Place was good an' empty, and we could see out over the railin' across the slums when we got there. Next flighta steps was on the same side but a little farther down, an' I started to run that way. I was jus' 'bout halfway there when I suddenly realized Jessie wasn't followin' me. I stopped an' turned 'round to see her lookin' back the way we'd come, her eyes on the stairs.

"Jessie!" I called to her. "What's the holdup?"

She slapped another clip into her gun. "Go on ahead, Barret. These guys'll catch up soon. They're already on the stairs, and that chopper of theirs won't be far behind them."

I stared at her. "You can't take on all that!"

"Now don't you forget about these babies," Jessie smirked, reachin' into her belt pouch an' takin' out one of her purple grenades. "I've got a few surprises for our friends back there."

"But there's still too many of 'em!" I argued.

She frowned at me. "This isn't a discussion! Let me do this, Barret. I _need_ to do this. They're almost here."

I sighed. "Awright. But be careful, ya hear?"

"I will," Jessie promised. "And I'll catch up to you soon. You have to secure the console, Barret. Keep Shinra away from it 'till I can get there and shut it down. Understand?"

I nodded. "Will do. An' when this is over… we'll talk, awright?"

She smiled. "Deal. Now move your ass!"

Liftin' her gun in a little wave, Jessie darted to the other side of the floor an' put her back to one of the columns. I watched her go for jus' a moment, feelin' kinda strange without really knowin' why. Like I wasn't gonna see her again. Didn't make any damn sense. Parta me wanted to stay with her and help her spring her little trap, but I had to go on. She was right, an' if I let Shinra get to the console, it was over. An' I couldn't allow that. Jessie was makin' her stand, an' I had to go up top an' do the same. So I turned an' ran up the stairs.

* * *

The sounds of gunfire and screams were a lot louder when Cloud, Aerith, and I finally got to the base of the pillar. A crowd of bystanders was there as well, anxiously watching the whole thing and murmuring to themselves. Then I gasped as I heard a familiar voice shouting at the top, and my eyes widened when I looked up.

"That's Barret!" I said.

He was on the service platform, just a little speck from here, firing at a passing helicopter. "What you got, assholes?"

Just then, there was more shouting, closer to us, and my gaze went to the third floor in time to see Wedge yelling and shooting at a pair of Shinra soldiers. He dropped one, but fell back as the other clipped him. Wedge cried out, staggering into the railing behind him, and although he took out the other soldier, he wasn't fast enough. The grenade sailed through the air and exploded right in front of Wedge, tearing apart the rail and hurling him off the pillar to land not twenty feet in front of us, smoke rising from his still-burning clothes.

" _Wedge!"_ Cloud and I yelled.

We ran to him, and while Cloud patted out the flames, Aerith and I looked him over. There didn't seem to be anything broken, but he was bruised and bleeding. The fall had knocked Wedge out, but he came to after a moment, blinking when he saw us.

"Cloud…" he said. "Shinra's trying to take out the pillar! Barret and the others are in there! You've gotta help 'em!"

Cloud nodded. "I'm on it."

Wedge tried to get up but only managed a pained grunt. "I'm going with you, Cloud! I can still fight! Those soldiers up there were shooting at me, and Biggs, he—"

"No!" Cloud shook his head. "Stay here, Wedge."

"But I—" he protested.

Cloud looked at Aerith. "Take care of him. I'm going up!"

"Right," she nodded. "I'll get him patched up."

I helped Wedge sit up. "Cloud and I'll handle it. I need you to start getting everyone out of here. Save as many people as you can as fast as you can, Wedge. We're counting on you."

He gave me a thumbs up. "Alright. Just leave it to me!"

"Aerith," I glanced at her. "My bar's in the middle of town. _Seventh Heaven._ A little girl's in there. Her name's Marlene. Would you find her and take her someplace safe?"

She took my shoulder. "I will, Tifa. I promise. Now go!"

Cloud tossed her a set of keys. To the Hardy, I realized. "Here. Just in case you two need a quick getaway."

"Good idea," Aerith caught them. "Thanks!"

I let him pull me to my feet, and then we raced to the pillar, Cloud just a step ahead of me. We flew up the steps and onto the first floor. It was empty aside from the bodies. There were a lot of them, and I knew too many. They had been customers, friends, and acquaintances… and now they were gone. But they had taken a lot of the enemy with them. And I swore that their sacrifice wouldn't be for nothing.

More of the same greeted us on the second floor, and I realized the sounds of battle above us had fallen silent aside from Barret's yelling, at least that I could hear. Was everyone else… dead? I pushed the thought from my mind right away, knowing it wouldn't do any good, but anger filled my heart and fueled my determination. But I still faltered as soon as we reached the third floor.

" _Biggs!"_ I shouted, running over to him.

He was alive but badly hurt, sitting with his back to the inner pillar and one hand over his stomach, where he'd been shot. A bunch of dead soldiers lay around him, riddled with bullet holes, and his gun lay next to him. I understood then what Wedge had been trying to tell us. Biggs had tried to protect him from those soldiers.

He glanced up at us. "'Bout time you two showed up. I… I cleared the path for ya. Did my part, at least."

"Oh, Biggs…" I murmured, kneeling in front of him.

"Now don't you… go messing up those pretty eyes of yours… with tears," he said, giving me a small smile.

In spite of the circumstances, I felt a little blush cover my cheeks at the compliment. Then I reached into my pocket and took out a potion. When I tried to give it to him, though, he gently pushed my hand away from him. What was he thinking?

"Don't… worry about me," Biggs said. "Just help Barret."

Cloud crouched down next to him. "We'll see to him, but we're not just gonna leave you, Biggs. You're hurt."

He smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Cloud. Is Wedge—?"

"He'll bounce back," Cloud told him.

"Good to know. Could've used… a little extra padding myself. But I don't have any regrets. You've gotta get going, both of you. We're outta time. It's… pretty bad up there."

I held his hand. "Try not to talk."

Cloud stood up and looked at me. "Tifa. We can't stay."

"I know, it's just…" I sighed. Then, as I gazed at Biggs, I knew what I had to do. "Wait! You go on ahead, Cloud. I'll take care of Biggs, then catch up to you once I get him out of the pillar."

"You sure?" Cloud asked.

I was. "Yeah. If Aerith's right, and we've done all this before, then I probably went with you. So the right thing for me to do now, to change how it goes, is to stay here with Biggs."

He nodded. "Good luck."

"You too, Cloud," I said. "Jessie's up there somewhere. Go save her. You're the only one who can."

"I will," he swore.

Biggs clasped his hand. "Thanks, Cloud. You're a… good man. But you know… those kids at the Leaf House… you've got a lot in common with 'em. More than you realize…"

"It won't be for nothing," he promised.

"Knew…. I could count on you," Biggs murmured.

Cloud carefully let him go, then took the Restore materia from his mythril bangle and tossed it to me. I caught it easily as he raced toward the stairs and climbed further up the pillar. Pulling my gaze away as he quickly sped out of sight above us, I turned my attention to Biggs. I put the materia into my own bangle and called upon its magic. As a galaxy of green sparkles surrounded him for a moment, the bleeding stopped and his injuries started to heal a bit.

I looked anxiously at him. "How's that?"

"Better, thanks," Biggs said, his voice a little stronger. "Still feel like I got kicked in the gut by a wild chocobo, but I think I'll live. Dunno if I can move too well yet, though."

"You let me worry about that," I told him.

After having Biggs drink the potion too, I slid an arm around him and helped him to his feet. I'd gotten him stabilized for now, but he still wasn't in good shape at all and would need plenty of rest and care once this was over—things I was going to make sure he got. Healing potions and spells help in a pinch, but they can only do so much. I had learned that from my sensei Zangan years ago.

Biggs chuckled. "Not in any position to argue. What was that about this stuff happening before, though?"

"Deja-vu with a kick," I answered. "I'll explain later."

"Hey, Tif… thanks for staying," he said as we got moving.

I smiled. "You're welcome. And I still owe you a drink, by the way. So don't you even _think_ you're getting out of it."

Biggs laughed. "Wouldn't hear of it."

* * *

The exit leading to Sector 7 was just ahead of us, and I gunned the engine. But as the Gust shot forward like a bullet and we sped through what should've been an ID sensor net, I felt a rumbling underneath us, and the whole tunnel began to shake and explode. Heidegger's trap had gone off, and the way out was about to be sealed.

"It's all comin' down, lad!" Cait yelled.

I shook my head. "Not on us!"

As flames roared around us and the walls and ceiling blew apart, I punched the boosters, and the Gust raced even faster, a blinding streak of green and silver cutting through the firestorm. Debris fell all around us as we swerved left and right to avoid it and wove our way toward the exit to Sector 7 as it began to collapse.

Cait clung to me. "Oh, I cannae look!"

"Just hang on!" I told him.

Keeping my eyes ahead of us, I drove straight for it as heat washed over us and thunder filled our ears. The gap got smaller and smaller as we got closer and the tunnel started caving in on itself, tons of concrete and metal tumbling down behind us and ahead of us, and with a yell, I pushed the Gust as fast as it could go. We flew forward, fire blazing out of the exhaust pipes, and shot through the exit at the last second just as it exploded in a haze of flame and smoke.

"Talk aboot a close call!" Cait exclaimed. "We made it!"

I switched off the boosters. "Too close. But you're right, Cait. We're in Sector 7. I just hope we're not too late."

He patted my shoulder. "Ye got us this far, laddie."

"Yeah," I said. Then I pointed at the pillar, rising up in the distance past the train station. "Look. The battle's still going on. That means we still have time to stop this."

"Then we'd best hurry," Cait said.

Nodding, I drove the Gust off the tracks and onto the winding dirt road that ran along the platform and went on past it toward the Sector 7 pillar and the undercity itself. I could see the helicopters circling and bright orange bursts of gunfire bursting in the night as my eyes drifted up toward the top, where Jessie surely was.

Gunning the engine, I charged down the road, which was empty as could be. Considering the circumstances, I wasn't surprised. Hopefully that meant people were getting out of town and out of Sector 7. If they had any sense, they would be. The more that left now, the more lives it would save if the plate did come down. When I finally got to the pillar, I saw a crowd there, but that wasn't what made my eyes widen in shock as I brought the Gust to a stop near the stairs.

"Aerith?" I called to her. "What are you doing here?"

Her jaw dropped. "Kunsel! Oh, are you a welcome sight! We could really use your help right now!"

I got off the bike. "But Jessie—"

"Is in the best hands you could ever ask for," Aerith finished. "She'll be okay, I promise. My friends are up there, and they'll stop at nothing to protect her. And one's a SOLDIER like you."

"I don't know…" I sighed.

Just then, while the bruised heavyset guy in the red bandanna was urging people to head toward the gate on the other side of the area and head to Sector 6, one of the choppers flew low over town, hovering just long enough to offload a battalion of grunts. Then the helicopter began to rise while the sounds of screams and energy blasts erupted from the streets not far away and fire lit up the night.

"No!" Aerith yelled. "Kunsel, come on! We've gotta stop them! You came here to save Jessie, but those people need us. I can't save them by myself. And there's someone in there I _have_ to find. I promised a friend that I would. Please, Kunsel. I need you!"

"Lead the way," I told her, drawing my sword.

The other guy pointed down the road. "Bar's in the center of town, Aerith! You can't miss it! Just follow the main road."

She waved at him. "Thanks, Wedge!"

"Cait," I said. "Can you disable the console from here?"

He was sitting on the Gust. "Nae, lad. I cannae do it remotely, but I _can_ cause some interference, make it a wee bit tougher for the Turks to mess aroond with it. Ahn that ought tae give Jessie time tae to shut that bugger down before it's tae late."

I nodded. "Get on it. I'll be back soon."

"Ye got it!" Cait bounced, twitching his whiskers.

Sword in hand, I took off after Aerith, running toward town as fast as I could. We'd been friends for a long time, although I hadn't actually seen her in years, and I trusted her. I didn't know who these friends of hers were, but she did, and she believed in them. And that was enough for me. Besides, I knew Jessie, and she would've been the first to tell me to go and save others before herself.

My choice made, I rushed into the heart of Sector 7.


	47. FORTY-SIX

## FORTY-SIX

Wedge was moving people toward the gate on the other side of the plaza when Biggs and I stepped off the stairs and onto the ground. As I helped him across the clearing, I noticed Aerith was gone. She must've already left to find Marlene. Good. There was also a motorcycle with a stuffed toy cat on it parked nearby, but I hardly noticed it as we hurried across the plaza to meet up with Wedge.

"Biggs! I thought you were dead!" he gasped.

"Not yet," Biggs winced in pain but flashed us a crooked grin at the same time. "I still got some fight left in me, buddy. Enough for another platoon or two, at least. Maybe more."

I handed him over to Wedge. "Can you take care of him? I've gotta get back to the pillar and help the others."

He nodded. "Will do, Tifa!"

"Heh…" Biggs laughed. "Thought that was my job."

Wedge slid an arm around his waist to help hold him up. "Not this time. You've always looked out for me, Biggs. Now it's my turn to do it for you. Just leave everything to me!"

Biggs chuckled. "Guess I'm in good hands, then."

Just then, we heard commotion coming from the gate. It was a part of the chain link fence that divided Sector 7 from the road leading into Sector 6, and I realized it was still closed. Two Shinra soldiers stood in front of it, and one of them was arguing with someone standing on the other side. I wondered who'd be trying to get in here when things were so bad right now that everyone else wanted to get out.

"I said, let me in!" a girl's voice yelled. "I didn't run all the way here from Sector 5 just to get shut out!"

My jaw dropped. "Lena!"

" _What!?"_ Biggs and Wedge gaped.

"I repeat!" the soldier said. "No one gets in or out!"

Lena was fuming. "My brother and boyfriend are in there! I've got to help them! Open this damn gate!"

The soldier brandished his gun. "No! Get lost!"

"Oh, the hell with you!" Lena snarled.

Backing up, she ran right at the fence, jumped, and grabbed onto it with both hands. Then she started climbing over it. I tightened my fist as the soldier lifted his gun, but his partner surprised me, pushing him away and letting Lena drop down to the other side.

The first soldier stared at his partner. "Are you _insane?"_

"I'm not gonna let you hurt an unarmed woman!" the other guard insisted. "Doing our job's one thing, but that's not right!"

"Back to your post!" the first one ordered.

His partner did, but reluctantly. "Yes, sir. For now…"

Lena waved at him. "Thanks! But I'm not unarmed. I'm not here to cause any trouble, though."

"Lena!" Biggs called to her. "What are you doing here?"

Her eyes widened. "Biggs! You're hurt!"

"You should be home in Sector 5!" Wedge told her.

"No way!" Lena shook her head as she ran over to us. "Not without you guys. I'm getting you and everyone else outta here! You two are my whole life, and I'm not gonna lose you!"

I looked at her. "I've gotta get back to the pillar, Lena. Can you help Biggs and Wedge while I'm gone?"

"That's why I'm here," she said. "I—"

Just then, a Shinra helicopter flew toward us, and I realized for the first time that Sector 7 was ablaze. The chopper dropped low above the pillar complex and hovered long enough for a squad of grunts and elite grunts to drop to the ground not twenty feet away. I narrowed my eyes and raised my fists as I strode toward them.

"I'm right here with you, Tifa," Lena swore, drawing her gun. "Let's show these Shinra motherfuckers what happens when they try to mess with our town and the people we love."

"Took the words right outta my mouth," I agreed.

There were eight of the drug-crazed shock troopers altogether, and they sprang at us at once. I knocked one away with a high roundhouse kick while Lena filled another with lead. That left six, and while two of them went for us, the rest sprang at the crowd.

I took a scrape to the shoulder as I rushed to intercept them, Lena at my side. There were all manner of innocent people in their path, and it was all Wedge and Biggs could do to keep them from scattering. Fists flying, I darted in between two of the grunts and the young family they were lunging toward. I beat them back with a series of jabs, hooks, and kicks mixed in with the occasional blast of ice from my materia while I dodged their swiping claws and blue energy bolts.

Lena shot down one of the stronger grunts, pumping it with bullets before it could tear apart an old man, but it managed to graze her with a blast from its energy beam before it went down. She grimaced in pain but stayed on her feet, shifting her aim to another grunt and blasting it just as it got close, leaving a burning hole in its chest. Before she could catch a breath, though, another one pounced on her, bearing her to the ground as she shouted in surprise.

"Lena!" I yelled, backhanding the grunt behind me.

She was still holding her gun, and before I could get to her, she was already fighting back, ducking her head from side to side and shooting the grunt again and again as it slashed at her with its claws. It slumped to the dirt a moment later, still twitching but very dead. As I caught up to her, I pulled the grunt off her.

"You okay?" I asked, helping her to her feet.

Lena winced. "I'll be alright, Tifa. Just a few scratches."

I handed her a potion. "More than a few, by the looks of it. So take this, it'll help take the edge off the pain."

"Thanks," she said. "I think that's the last of those guys."

Biggs limped over with Wedge's help. "Lena! You almost gave me a heart attack back there!"

Wedge nodded. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Wedge," she told him, drinking the potion. "Now let's see about getting these people to safety."

He kissed her. "Right. Just don't scare me like that again."

"No promises," she winked.

After using the Restore materia to see to the few minor injuries I'd gotten and help Lena a little more with hers, I knew it was time to go. I had to get to Cloud and the others. Knowing Lena and the guys would see to things down here reassured me and gave me hope that we might just beat this thing. I smiled at them.

"Wish me luck, guys," I said. "I'm going back in."

Lena nodded. "Give 'em hell, Tifa!"

I pumped my fist as Biggs waved and Wedge shot me a thumbs up. Then I ran for the pillar, taking the stairs two at a time as soon as I got there. I had a lot of ground to make up, but I moved fast. I just hoped I would catch up to the others in time.

* * *

I cut through one grunt while Aerith torched another with a blast of fire from her materia, but there were still more everywhere. A whole lot more, jumping and shooting at anything and everything. The town ahead of us was in flames as we raced through the outskirts and fought any of Shinra's drug-crazy troopers we came across.

At first, I didn't understand why Shinra would bother to attack the undercity directly like this. But then I remembered that Jessie was part of Avalanche, and then it made sense. Shinra was punishing both them and the people of the Sector 7 slums for allowing their presence here. It was cruel, brutal, and vindictive—which was exactly Heidegger's style. And I'd have been willing to bet it was also a way for him to get back at Jessie for eluding him for so long.

Aerith led the way into town, spinning her staff and hurling bursts of fire and magical energy at the grunts while I cut and thrust with my sword and let loose with a few spells myself. Some fire, like Aerith, but I also mixed it up with a bit of ice as well—as a SOLDIER, I often took multiple materia with me on missions.

We were just heading down the main street, the buildings burning on either side from the grunts' energy bolts, when the helicopter came back, and this time it unloaded swarms of monodrives before rising up again to hover over the town. Its lights found us for a minute, lingering on Aerith before moving on, but I didn't have time to waste wondering about it with Shinra's forces everywhere and people screaming around us as they tried to escape from the madness.

We saved as many as we could as we made our way through town, urging them to hurry to the pillar plaza and the road leading to Sector 6. The gate to it had still been closed up when we left, and I could only hope that guy Wedge had gotten it open by now. That was the only way out since the train tunnel exit had been destroyed, as far as I knew. But I soon found out there was another.

"Hey!" a man called out to us. "Over here!"

I turned, motioning for Aerith to follow as I saw a bearded guy in a flat, round blue hat and sleeveless black jacket trying to keep a group of grunts from getting to him and the handful of people with him, mostly women and kids and a few older folks. He brandished a sturdy wooden club as he tried to keep their attackers at bay, but I knew it wouldn't be enough. There were just too many.

"Aerith!" I told her.

She nodded. "Right! I see them!"

We rushed in, magic and steel cutting into the grunts in a flurry of sound and motion. They had the guy and the townsfolk he was looking after backed into a corner, but we didn't let up. Aerith struck hard with a barrage of fire spells while I sliced, spun, and slashed and the man in the blue hat whacked any grunts that got near him or the others. It was over in less than a minute.

"Thanks for the help," the guy said. "Name's Wymer. Was trying to get these folks outta here when we got jumped."

I nodded. "Sure. Get 'em to the pillar plaza and the gate."

He shook his head. "No need. There's another way."

"Where?" I asked.

Wymer pointed to a large manhole nearby. "There's a tunnel there that leads underground all the way to Sector 6. I've got what's left of the watch moving people over to it, but that cover's damn heavy. It must've gotten stuck from not being used for so long."

I shouldered my sword. "I'll get it."

While Aerith tended to the others, Wymer and I hurried back onto the street and to the manhole. It looked like just another sewer cover, I thought, which was why I hadn't noticed it before. But then I realized it made sense for the entrance to a hidden passage to be unobtrusive. We each took hold of one side of the cover.

After pulling it off and putting it down, we motioned for the others to head inside. The tunnel wasn't a straight drop but slanted at an angle until it eventually leveled out. Satisfied that everyone would be alright, I straightened up and joined Aerith and Wymer.

"Again, thanks," he said. "Me and rest of the watch'll get as many of our people to safety as we can."

Aerith took his shoulder. "Good luck!"

Then we moved on, trusting Wymer to oversee the evacuation. We reached the center of town only a minute later, and I saw the bar Aerith had talked about. It was one of the biggest buildings around, and so far at least, the flames hadn't reached it yet. But it wouldn't be long. Aerith started to run toward it, but then a sweeper rolled right toward us from around the corner. That chopper must've dropped it off while we were busy fighting the rest of the Shinra forces.

It fired a set of chains from both cannons, instantly catching Aerith and wrapping her up like a fly in a web. I ran, sword drawn, and leaped into the air, coming down onto the sweeper with an overhead chop. As sparks flew and I backflipped away, it loosened its grip on her, and she stumbled a few steps as the chains fell away.

I landed next to her. "You alright?"

"Yeah," she said, quickly drinking an ether to replenish her energy. "I'm just fine, Kunsel. But this thing's in between us and the bar. We've gotta trash it so I can save Marlene."

"Then let's get to it," I said.

While Aerith hung back and pummeled the sweeper with blasts of fire magic, I ran in and hit it with a quick double slash, then followed it up with a shot of ice. The mech shot at me, but I whipped my sword up just in time to block as Aerith hit it with a tempest of magical energy. I kept up my assault while she spun her bladed staff and threw more fire at the sweeper. It shuddered but held.

Bullets grazed my arm as I cut at the mech's legs, but I ignored the pain and continued attacking. As I did, I suddenly felt a soft, cool wind wash over me along with a wave of energy as Aerith held her staff high, and the sting faded almost at once. I nodded my thanks to her before I turned back to the mech and cut at it again.

Then the sweeper lurched and fell onto its side as I severed a leg. It tried to shoot again, but I blocked it as Aerith got out of the way. Then I hit it with another burst of cold while she threw a ray of white energy at it. The magical beam ripped right into the mech while I sliced down across its exposed underside and tore a deep gouge into its internals. It started to tremble and shake, and I dropped my sword, grabbed Aerith, and dove aside just as the sweeper exploded.

After a moment, I helped her up. "Looks like we got it."

Aerith nodded. "Totally! But anyway, just wait out here while I get Marlene, okay? It's probably better if I do it alone."

"Sure," I said. "Go find her."

Her eyes falling for a moment on a Hardy Daytona HD-90 parked next to the bar, Aerith hurried up the steps and across the patio while I picked up my sword and stood watch in the yard. It was quiet for now, but I knew it wouldn't last. My own gaze drifted back to the pillar, high above town, and I hoped Jessie was alright.

* * *

"Contact!" the helitrooper shouted. "Moving to engage!"

I snarled, hefting Buster. "Outta my way!"

There were three of them waiting for me here on the seventh floor. I'd fought a few others as well as several Shinra troops on the way here after leaving Tifa and Biggs, and I hated the delay. Every battle cost me more time, and Jessie only had so much. With that very much in mind, I charged the helitroopers with a roar, sweeping Buster across in a wide arc while dodging and spinning away from their deadly rotor blades. I cut and slashed like a madman, severing one in two.

As I fought, I kept well away from the railings. One of those Shinra choppers had swept its lights over me while I'd been climbing and had opened fire, and I'd barely been able to dive behind cover upon getting to the fifth floor. Reno's voice had come on over the loudspeaker then, taunting me, and he'd been keeping his chopper close to the stairs ever since, waiting for me to show myself.

I'd gotten up here, chased by bullets and Reno's snide bullshit, and I'd had to fight Shinra's forces almost every step of the way. My grip on Buster's hilt tightening, I hurled a bolt of lightning from my materia at one of the other two helitroopers, catching it in midair and throwing it to the ground, then traded blows with the last one. A rotor blade sliced across my shoulder, but I ignored it as I growled and answered it with a trio of quick cuts followed by a backhand slash.

The helitrooper stiffened, then flew backward as I kicked it away. It slammed into a nearby column and crumpled to the floor in a tangled heap. I was just about to hurry to the next set of stairs when I suddenly saw the other chopper flying nearby, the one from my dream. The one that had exploded onto Jessie, leading to her death. I'd caught glimpses of it flying low over town dropping off grunts, and my eyes widened as it rose upward. For a moment, I couldn't move.

It had begun.

— _You're gonna have to make a choice, buddy. And you'll only have a split second to decide. Go one way, and she'll survive. Go the other, and she'll die. Time is everything. And hers is running out. —_

The words of that strange kid's voice came back to me in a rush, so fast and so hard I gasped. And as I thought about how much I'd had to fight just to get this far and I looked over at the stairs again, I suddenly realized what the voice meant. If I went that way, I'd never get to her in time. Jessie would die in my arms just like she had in my dreams, and I would lose her forever. She would be gone.

But what other way was there? Six floors still stood in between me and Jessie, and I didn't have enough time to get there on foot to protect her. The chopper was just too fast. The only way I'd possibly be able to catch up would be to grow wings and fly. In a split second that felt like an eternity, my eyes wandered over the area, looking for answers, a way out of this box I was trapped in.

It was at that moment, as I felt fear about to take hold of me again, that I saw it. And I _knew._ Everything fell into place, and I understood. I knew exactly what I had to do. Shouldering Buster, I ran over to one of the fallen helitroopers and tore off a rotor glove. It was intact, and I put it on over my left hand, grasping the control rod inside. Then I hurried over to the nearest railing, sliding my thumb over the buttons as I went in order to get familiar with them. I'd only have one chance at this, but I knew it would work. It _had_ to work.

Helitroopers used these to get around in midair, and they could fly for short distances. I just hoped it would be enough. Taking a breath, I activated the rotors, rising quickly into the air. Using the rod, I flew out past the railing, then shot up toward the thirteenth floor. The chopper was around the corner, its lights bright as it went up to meet its destiny. And as I flew upward, my fierce gaze and left arm above me, I swore I’d change Jessie’s. I was going to save her.

She was there when I got to the thirteenth floor less than a minute later, but so was the chopper. Jessie stood behind one of the columns, a raspberry in her hand, just as I'd seen before. The entire area was full of debris, smoke, and small fires along with the scorched bodies of over a dozen Shinra soldiers. No doubt they'd been the ones I'd seen her fry in my dreams with her grenades.

When I saw Jessie spin out from behind the column, her right arm raised and her expression determined, I twisted my left wrist and hit a button on the control rod inside the glove. The rotors spun loud in my ears as I swooped in, my right arm extended. Jessie started to throw the raspberry, but just as in the dream, the chopper fired at the same time, shooting her in the arm and shoulder again and again. She cried out in pain and stumbled backward just as the grenade went off early, caught by the rapid stream of bullets chewing into her.

As the blast tore apart the front of the chopper and it started to fall, the force of it spun Jessie around and hurled her toward the floor like a rag doll. The burning wreck fell toward her, but right before it would've crushed her, I flew in low, grabbed her, and sped out through the other side of the pillar just as the chopper exploded behind us in a deafening blast of fire, thunder, and smoke.

Jessie clung to me with her good arm. "Cloud…?"

I held her close. "Yeah. Sorry I'm late."

"It's okay," she chuckled. "I'm just glad… you could drop in. I really missed you… you know…"

"Thought about you, too," I admitted.

Jessie smirked. "I'd… kick your ass… for scaring me so bad… but I'm not really… feeling up to it… right now. So I think… I'll just… kiss you instead… if you don't mind…"

The corners of my mouth turned up. "I don't."

"Didn't think so…" she smiled.

As Jessie and I hovered there together for a moment, high over the slums, she slowly lifted her face toward mine. I tilted my own down to meet hers, and my heart slammed into my ribs when I felt the softness of her lips. Jessie was hurt and bleeding, but she was alive. As we kissed in the night sky underneath the plate, I let that wonderful and amazing thought fill my mind again and again.

Jessie was alive.

"Changing Her Fate" by [Genielle Alcantara](https://twitter.com/_galcantara)  
See full size image [here](https://i.imgur.com/MDQD7Zy.jpg)


	48. FORTY-SEVEN

## FORTY-SEVEN

I was sitting behind the bar with my arms around me when I heard the doors open. It was so loud outside, and I thought I smelled smoke. But Daddy had told me to stay here, so that's what I was doing. When I heard some footsteps walking across the floor, I stood up on my tiptoes and looked over the counter to see who it was.

It was a lady in a pink dress about the same age as Jessie. She had a nice long braid tied with a pink ribbon, and I really liked it. I thought it looked really pretty and that maybe I might have mine like that when I got older. But I still didn't know who she was. Then she noticed me as I was looking at her, and she smiled.

"Ah! You must be Marlene," she said.

I didn't move. "Who are you? Daddy said not to talk to strangers. I don't know who you are."

The lady nodded. "That's some good advice. But you don't need to worry. Tifa sent me. And Cloud."

"Where are they?" I wondered. "With Daddy?"

"You mean Barret?" she said. "They're helping him, sweetie."

I blinked. "He's not coming home?"

The lady shook her head. "Not yet. That's why I'm here. This place isn't safe right now, so I promised Tifa that I'd take you somewhere that is. And that's just what I'm gonna do."

"Are we gonna lose our home?" I shivered.

"I know it's hard," she said, walking up to the bar. "But it'll all work out in the end. You're still gonna have your daddy, and you can build a new home together. So, are you ready to go?"

I was afraid, but the lady was so nice, too. I didn't know what to do at first, but slowly, I walked around the bar until I stood in front of her. She smiled at me again, and her eyes were green. Then she knelt down in front of me and held out her hand. I had a finger in my mouth, but I pulled it out and shyly reached out to her. The lady held my hand, and I started to feel a little better.

We were just on our way toward the door when I stopped and went back to the bar. Jessie's flower was there in its pretty vase, and I wanted to keep it safe for her. So I carefully picked it up and went back over to the lady. I carried it in both hands as we started walking again, and as I did, I looked up at her and hoped it was okay.

"Can I take this with us?" I asked.

She grinned. "Of course! You know, I sold Cloud that flower. For a big discount, too! Because he was so nice to me. But don't tell him that, okay? It'll be our little secret."

I giggled. "Okay! And, um… what's your name?"

"Aerith," she answered. "That's Jessie's flower, isn't it?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Cloud gave it to her. And she even let me water it for her! Is she gonna be okay, Aerith?"

"She will if Cloud has anything to say about it," she winked.

"I think he likes her," I said. "He gave her this vase."

Aerith led me to the door. "Did he now? I'm sure he does, Marlene. Now we'd better go, okay? Just stay close to me."

I did as she said. "You smell nice."

"Oh?" she wondered.

"Like… Jessie's flower," I told her.

Aerith laughed. "We'll grow a whole lot of them at your new home, as many as you want. You can help, too!"

I smiled. "Yay! I can't wait!"

When we opened the door and went outside, I gasped and stepped a little closer to her. There was fire everywhere, and smoke. I shook my head, wanting to be brave and strong like Tifa and Jessie and not cry. It was scary, though. I wished Daddy was there.

At the bottom of the stairs was a man in a purple outfit kind of like Cloud's, and he was holding a sword in his hands while a group of bad soldiers from Shinra marched toward him with guns. And right behind them was a man in a dark blue suit with long black hair. There was also a helicopter nearby, and it was really loud as it sat there on the ground with its big long rotors spinning.

"Aerith!" the man with the sword said. "They showed up a minute ago while you were still inside."

She nodded as we went down the stairs. "Tseng…"

"It's been too long, Aerith," the man in the blue suit said.

"Not long enough," she said.

As we went down the stairs, Tseng looked at her. "It would've been wiser for you to stay home."

She smirked. "Always was a little foolish."

That was when I saw Cloud and Jessie's motorcycle. It was close by, right next to the stairs. Then I remembered Jessie telling me today that she was gonna go polish it and make it shine really bright before Cloud got back. He was gonna take her for a ride, and that did sound like fun. But he hadn't come back with Daddy and Tifa, and Jessie had been sad. So the motorcycle was still out here.

Then, before Tseng or those soldiers could stop her, Aerith picked me up, jumped onto the motorcycle, and started it. It was really loud as I sat in front of her, but I didn't mind. And while we did that, the other guy—the one holding the sword—stayed in between us and the Shinra soldiers as Aerith revved the engine.

"Go!" he told us. "I'll keep these guys busy!"

Aerith waved, and then we started moving. Tseng went back to his helicopter while the guy with the sword started fighting the soldiers as we drove away. The bike was really fast, and I held on tight to it and the flower and Aerith as we raced down the road.

* * *

Our kiss was a short one, both because of our position and because of Jessie's wounded condition. I'd have to take a closer look at her soon, but I could tell she was in pretty bad shape. As I held us aloft using the rotor gauntlet on my left hand, I held onto her with my other arm and tried not to jostle her and aggravate her injuries. Jessie rested her head weakly on my shoulder when our lips parted, and it seemed like it was only then that she realized we were in the air.

"Hey, Cloud…" Jessie wondered. "Are we… flying?"

I nodded. "Yeah. But this thing's not made for two. I should find us a place to land. Hold on."

We were already slipping a little lower from our combined weight, and I knew we didn't have much time before we started to fall. Pressing another button on the control rod, I used it to steer us back over to the pillar. I set us down on the thirteenth floor as gently as I could, not far from the stairs leading up. When we were safely down, I turned off the rotor glove, removed it, and tossed it aside.

"Nice landing…" Jessie quipped, smiling in spite of the pain.

I helped her sit with her back to the low wall by the stairs. "Guess it wasn't too bad. How's that?"

She gave me a weak thumbs up. "Awesome…"

"Here, Jessie," I took a potion out of my pocket, opened it, and gave it to her. "Drink this. It'll help a little."

She did, still managing to make a face as she swallowed it. I looked her over in the meantime, not liking what I saw. Jessie had been shot at least four or five times in her right arm, shoulder, and collar, and if she hadn't been half-turned away from the chopper to throw that grenade, the armor-piercing rounds would've torn through her chest, heart, and lungs instead. Her arm hung uselessly at her side, bleeding all down its length from multiple bullet wounds.

That wasn't the only thing. Just as I'd seen in my dreams, a piece of shrapnel had embedded itself in her left thigh, and that was bleeding as well. I'd have to get that out and bound up before Jessie lost much more blood. She was also cut and bruised in several places with some minor burns from the blast as well, and she was covered in ash, dirt, and dust. I looked around to see what I could use to help her.

"Stay here," I said, touching her cheek.

Jessie smirked. "I'm not… going anywhere…"

Giving her a faint little smile, I went over to the nearest of the dead soldiers and started tearing strips from his uniform, as many as I could carry. Then I went back to Jessie and knelt in front of her. I decided I'd have to take care of her leg first. That was bleeding the most, and once I got the shrapnel out, it would only get worse.

"This is gonna hurt," I told her. "Better brace yourself."

"Lovely… bedside manner," Jessie chuckled.

I took hold of the metal shard with one hand and planted the other lightly on her thigh. "I'm a merc, not a doctor."

"Then… how do you know… what to do?" she asked.

"Basic battlefield medicine's a standard part of SOLDIER training," I explained. "In case you're ever out on a mission somewhere and don't have materia or potions on you. Ready?"

She held my arm with her good hand. "Ready…"

"Here goes," I said.

After sharing a nod with Jessie, I pulled the metal shard out of her in one quick, fluid motion. She winced, gasping as her grip on my arm tightened, and grit her teeth against the pain. After tossing the piece of shrapnel aside, I took two of the longer strips of cloth I had taken from the dead soldier and made them into a tourniquet. Jessie squeezed my arm again as I tied it tight around her leg.

"Shit, that hurts!" she said.

I took her wounded arm next. "Sorry. Had to be done."

Jessie relaxed her grip and touched my face. "It's okay… Cloud. I'm a… big girl. You're… doing great. And I think… that potion's… finally kicking in. The pain's… going down a little."

"Good," I said. "Just hold still."

Using several more cloth strips, I bound up her arm as best I could and put it in a makeshift sling. It looked like the potion was starting to slow the bleeding, but she'd already lost a lot. She was too weak to even stand right now, let alone fight. It didn't matter to me, though. I'd carry her to the top and make sure she was safe.

As I looked at her, I remembered something. "Jessie… do you still have that cleaning kit on you?"

She nodded. "Yeah… but why?"

"You'll see," I told her. "Where do you keep it?"

"Belt pouch, side pocket," Jessie said.

I found it there, just as she'd told me, and took it out. Then, after I'd poured a little water from the bottle onto the cloth, I gently cleaned the ash, dirt, and blood off her face as best I could. She smiled as I worked, the same memory coming to her that had to me, and while I dabbed at her cheek, she took my hand for a moment.

"I remember… doing this for you…" she murmured.

"On the train," I said. "Guess it's my turn now."

She gazed fondly at me. "Yeah. It feels… good. Thank you…"

I paused for a moment as our eyes met. In spite of how badly Jessie was hurt, she was alive. I wasn't sure how to put what I felt into words, so I didn't. Instead, I leaned in close and kissed her, pressing my mouth softly to hers. I felt her return it, her hand sliding around to the back of my neck, and I lost myself in her moist, tender lips.

She smirked as I pulled away. "Mmm, that was nice…"

"Just… glad you're alive," I admitted.

"Me too," Jessie gave me a wry grin. "Guess we beat fate… after all. I kinda like… the sound of that."

I carefully wiped her forehead. "Has a nice ring to it."

"Damn right it does. You know, Cloud… you came to my rescue… again. Just like… the night we met. You still… have the best timing… I ever saw. You saved me again."

"Made you a promise, remember?" I said.

Jessie nodded. "Oh, I do. At the… base of this thing. You came for me… just like you said you would."

"I'll always come for you," I promised.

"My hero. So gentle…" she grinned. "And so cute…"

I took something out of my pocket. "Here. Hold onto this."

"But I… gave it to you…" Jessie blinked.

It was the baby chocobo feather in its glass case. "I know. And you were right, Jessie. It kept me safe when I fell from Reactor 5. It brought me back to you. But I think you need it more than I do right now. We'll share it. That way we'll both have good luck."

She laughed softly as I put it into her pocket. "Told ya… it worked. Thanks, Cloud. But you know… I wish that we could've gone… on our date. It would've been… a lot of fun."

"Yeah," I said, grinning faintly. "You owe me a pizza."

"Guess I do, don't I?" Jessie giggled.

I nodded. "But I owe you a ride. So we're even."

"Fair enough," she said as I finished cleaning her off. "You think… when I'm back on my feet… we could go?"

I kissed her again. "Plan on it."

Jessie hugged me for a moment with her good arm, then she let go, her eyes shining. I was just putting the water bottle and cloth back into her belt pouch when I suddenly heard footsteps hurrying up the stairs nearby. I immediately reached over my shoulder for Buster and sprang to my feet in front of Jessie, but it was only Tifa.

I relaxed at once. "Tifa! Glad you're here. How's Biggs?"

"He'll be alright," she answered. "Wedge and Lena are looking after him and seeing to the evacuation."

"Good. Mind giving me a hand?" I asked.

Tifa nodded, then her eyes widened when she noticed Jessie sitting against the wall and how hurt she was. "Jessie!"

She smiled. "Hi, Tifa. I'd… get up and hug you, but…"

Quickly kneeling down in front of her, Tifa focused on the Restore materia and called on its healing magic. Green sparkles floated around Jessie for a minute before fading away, and her bleeding stopped. Some of her smaller injuries started to close, but it would take time, rest, and more treatment for her to make a full recovery.

"Is that better?" Tifa asked, worry all over her face.

"A little," Jessie answered. "Pain's not as bad."

Tifa took her shoulder. "Don't worry, Jessie. I'm gonna take care of you, alright? Just hang in there."

"Sure thing… big sister…" she chuckled.

I glanced above us when I heard the sound of gunfire and another helicopter approaching. "We've gotta move."

Tifa stood up. "Right. Barret needs our help."

Bending down for a moment, I carefully picked Jessie up and held her in my arms. My right was under her thighs, and I had wrapped my left around her lower back. She lay her head against my chest, weak but awake and alert. Tifa put her hand over Jessie's good one and squeezed it gently, then let go as we moved toward the stairs leading up. We were almost there when Jessie looked up at me.

"Cloud…" she said. "When we… get up to the top… I need you to take me… over to the console. If I can shut it down… and lock it out… then Shinra won't be able to… blow the pillar."

"You'll be there," I promised.

Jessie nodded, and we got underway. Tifa went first, and I followed a step behind her. The fourteenth floor was empty, a burning wreck in the wake of the chopper's crash landing, and we hurried onward, going up the stairs to the platform as fast as we could. Time was running out, and the Turks were on their way.

* * *

"What do you mean you won't open the gate!?" I yelled. "We've got to get these people outta here!"

The idiot soldier didn't budge. "No! It stays closed!"

Wedge, still supporting Biggs, stood beside me. "If you don't let us through, we'll all die! Don't you get that!?"

"Back off!" the soldier snarled.

He shoved Wedge back, and he and Biggs both nearly fell over. But I caught his arm just in time and he was able to steady himself. I was so pissed, though. Why was that soldier so hung up on duty at a time like this? It didn't make any sense. There was a whole crowd of people here needing to escape before the plate fell.

"Wedge! Biggs!" I said. "Are you guys alright?"

Biggs nodded. "I'll be okay, sis."

Wedge sighed. "I'm no good to anyone… up there _or_ down here. If these people die… it's on me…"

"No!" I told him. "That's not true!"

"But, Lena—"

I cut him off. "Listen to me, Wedge. I love you and believe in you. I don't wanna look back one day and wish I'd done things different. This is the kind of moment that really counts, and I need to know that I did everything I could. Right here, right now."

Then I reached up, touched his sweet, round face, and kissed him. It made my heart spin like it always did, and I held my lips there on his for a moment, telling him without words that I knew he could do this. And he got the message, his mouth moving against mine for a moment before finally pulling away. When he looked at the guard again, he was firm and resolute, his gaze determined.

"I don't know what's gonna happen tonight!" he yelled. "But I sure as hell don't wanna have any regrets about what I did or didn't do! So I need you to _open that gate!_ Our lives are in your hands! If you don't do it, we'll all die! Every last one of us!"

For a moment, no one moved. And then the other soldier, the one who had stuck up for me and let me get in here, started to open up the gate. But just as he reached for the lock, his partner suddenly slammed the barrel of his gun right across his face, knocking him to the ground and standing squarely in front of the fence.

He pointed his rifle at us. "I said, _no one_ gets through!"

"You bastard!" I snarled.

Just then, I heard the sound of a motorcycle powering toward us. It was coming from the town itself, and I turned along with everyone else to see a Hardy Daytona coming up the road toward us. Aerith drove it, and Marlene rode in front of her as they pulled up just a short distance opposite the gate. Aerith frowned when she saw it was still closed. And then she started revving the engine.

"Wedge!" she called.

He nodded, grinning. "Right! Everyone outta the way!"

I motioned to the crowd, knowing now exactly what Aerith had in mind. And I _loved_ it. "Stand back, everybody!"

"Open the gate!" Aerith ordered.

The soldier shook his head. "No! It stays closed!"

She smirked. "I don't think so."

Then she revved the motor again, its purring loud and welcoming even as it made that soldier sweat. While they stared each other down, I helped his partner move aside to a safer spot. Then I noticed that the first soldier was aiming his gun at Aerith, his finger on the trigger as he stubbornly stood his ground. I got ready to move.

"Hold on, Marlene," Aerith told her. "Hold on tight!"

She did, and Aerith gunned the engine. The bike shot forward like a bullet, and just as the soldier got ready to shoot her, I jumped right at him, knocking him aside. We flew to the ground just as Aerith and the Hardy flew past us and smashed open the gate with a bang. The soldier and I both grappled for the gun, rolling over in the dirt, and he wound up on top of me, his weight pressing me down.

"Get the hell off her!" Wedge roared, grabbing him.

He yanked him away and threw him aside, the gun landing nearby, and I sprang to my feet. When the soldier sat up and tried to go for the rifle, I drew my own gun, held it in both hands, and pointed it squarely at his helmeted head. He froze right away.

"Don't. Even. Think about it," I growled, cocking the trigger.

And then, Wedge punched him in the face, knocking him out cold. "That's for trying to hurt my girl!"

I holstered my gun. "Come on, Wedge. Let's move!"

"Everybody out!" Aerith called, spinning the Hardy around to face us from the other side of the gate. "Hurry!"

While Wedge got the crowd moving, I went over to where he'd left Biggs sitting nearby. I helped him to his feet, sliding an arm around his waist and wrapping one of his around my shoulder, and we walked side by side to the gate as he leaned on me.

He laughed. "Guess you're… savin' my ass again."

"Damn right I am," I said. "Just like in the Train Graveyard. I'll get you outta this, Biggs. Same as last time."

"'Least there's no ghosts here," he smirked.

I flashed my brother a smile as we went through the gate. Not very far ahead of us, Aerith and Marlene sat on the Hardy, urging everyone to keep moving while Wedge stood nearby and did the same. Biggs and I were just joining him when suddenly we heard a helicopter flying not far away. It flew in our direction, its lights sweeping over the area until they stopped on Aerith. Her eyes narrowed as she and Marlene looked up at the chopper, their hair blowing around them.

"Aerith?" I asked.

She glanced at me. "It'll be alright, Lena. Just get everyone to safety. Don't worry about me."

Before I could say anything else, Aerith drove off toward Sector 6, weaving carefully through the crowd. The helicopter followed her, and once she was safely clear, she sped away in a roar of engines, the Shinra chopper in hot pursuit. I watched her go, worried in spite of what she'd said. Shinra was after her, although I didn't know why, and I knew they wouldn't give up easily, if at all.


	49. FORTY-EIGHT

## FORTY-EIGHT

Me and Aerith went really fast down the road while the helicopter flew right behind us and above us. Its lights were bright and white, and they stayed on us as we drove away from Sector 7. Even though I was a little scared and I didn't know where we were going, I knew that Aerith wouldn't let those Shinra people get me.

When the road split, we went left, and it went through a lot of junk piles before we got to a big wall. There was an old, open gate in it, and I held onto the vase and Jessie's flower as we rode through it. We came to another part of the slums, and the helicopter was still following us. As I rode with Aerith, I looked up at it sometimes.

After a while, we followed the road into an empty scrapyard, and I saw lights far away. They were from another town like Sector 7, and we drove right through it. Aerith said it was Sector 5. The helicopter went away and started going down, maybe to land somewhere while we kept going. We passed a big long house with benches in front of it and went onto a narrow trail that turned a lot.

We finally came to a nice house with lots of flowers growing across the big yard. It had bridges and a waterfall and was really pretty. When we got in front of the house, Aerith stopped the motorcyle and turned it off. Then she got off and helped me down, too. She gently picked me up and put my feet on the little stone path.

"Is this your house?" I asked.

Aerith smiled. "Yep! You're gonna stay here for a little while. Don't worry, Marlene. We'll let your daddy know that you're here just as soon as we can so he knows where you are, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay!"

Then we went in her house. It was really nice, with more flowers, a table, chairs, and some stairs in the back. When Aerith closed the door behind us and leaned her staff against the wall, an older lady in a green dress and a nice white apron came downstairs to see us. She went over and hugged Aerith and then looked at me while I stood there and held the flower and vase I had brought with me.

"I'm so glad you're back, Aerith," she said. "Although I'm not happy that you snuck out. But anyway, who's this?"

Aerith put her hand on my shoulder. "Her name's Marlene. I told a friend I'd take her someplace safe. You've heard about Sector 7, right? It used to be her home, but now…"

The lady nodded. "I understand. I saw the news."

"Shinra's doing it, though. Not Avalanche, no matter what the news reports say. Avalanche is trying to save everyone. Cloud's one of them. So's Tifa, the girl who asked me to take care of Marlene. I promised her I would. So that's why she's here."

"Did you run into the Turks?" the lady asked.

Aerith let go of me. "You could say that. Had a short little chat with Tseng. I got away when he tried to bring me in, but I think he followed me here. It's… about that time, Mom."

Her mom sighed. "I always knew this day would come…"

"So did I," Aerith said. "But I won't let them take Marlene. And if it means that I have to go back, then… I will."

"Aerith…" her mom looked at her.

She smiled. "It'll be alright, Mom. Cloud'll come save me. He's still my bodyguard, after all. I won't be gone long. But in the meantime, will you take care of Marlene for me?"

"Of course," her mom said. "You know that."

Then Aerith got down in front of me. "Marlene, my mom's gonna look after you while I'm gone. Her name's Elmyra."

"Where are you going, Aerith?" I asked.

"Nowhere you need to worry about, sweetie," she said.

Just then, the door opened behind us. Aerith stood up, and we saw the man with black hair and a blue suit standing there. He was the one she had called Tseng. There were two soldiers from Shinra behind him. I stepped closer to Aerith.

"You've led us on a merry chase, Aerith," he said.

She frowned. "Tseng."

He held up his hand. "Before you say anything, be aware that your options are quite limited. Speak carefully."

"How about… we make a deal?" Aerith asked.

* * *

"Is that everyone?" I asked.

Wedge nodded. "Just about. Still a few stragglers, but we can move 'em along as we go, Lena."

I looked back through the gate as I stood on the road. It was pretty empty now, just a couple more people coming through. Not nearly the whole population of Sector 7, but it was all we could do. Biggs wasn't in any shape to help with the evacuation, so I had handed him over to our friend Katie to make sure he got out safely.

Katie was about my age, and she kept her brown hair tied up in the back. Biggs and Wedge knew her better than I did since she worked to track how many monsters the watch took out every day, but I'd met her a few times. She was energetic, to say the least.

It hadn't been a hard sell to get Katie to give us a hand, and so she'd gladly helped Biggs limp down the road toward Sector 6. Thanks to the potions and spells that Tifa must've used, his bleeding had stopped, but he was still in rough shape. I had told her to get him to the Leaf House in Sector 5 and that we'd meet them there.

"Guess we oughta get going, then," I said.

He gazed up at the top of the pillar. "You think they'll be okay?"

I looked at it with him. "You bet. Cloud, Tifa, and Barret… they're all strong. And Jessie's up there, too."

"Yeah, you're right," Wedge said. "They—"

"Wedge?" I asked.

His eyes widened. "My babies! I've gotta go back for 'em!"

My jaw dropped. "What!? Are you serious?"

"Just go on, I'll catch up!" Wedge said, running toward town.

I hurried after him. "No way! I'm not leaving you!"

Most people probably would've called us crazy for risking our lives to save his cats, but I knew how much they meant to him. And what he meant to me. Where he went, I would follow. Although we'd only been seeing each other for about six weeks or so, we'd known each other and been friends for a lot longer, even if he _had_ been adorably shy during a lot of that time. And he had _the_ biggest heart.

The heat hit us first as we raced down the street, followed by all the smoke swirling around. I coughed, blinking as it stung my eyes. Debris was everywhere, and a lot of buildings were on fire. I hated seeing this place coming apart. It was like a second home to me, and I knew it had to be worse on Wedge. But we kept going, hurrying as fast as we could until we skidded to a stop outside _Seventh Heaven._ It was burning, and not all the tears in my eyes came from the smoke.

"No…" Wedge breathed.

I blinked and pointed. "Look!"

Ahead of us in the yard just outside the bar, a guy wearing a purple SOLDIER uniform was fighting half a dozen Shinra soldiers along with a squad of at least that many grunts. Four of those eyeball plant things that Jessie had called monodrives swarmed around him, too. It looked like he'd already taken out a few other soldiers—their bodies were lying sprawled out across the ground—but he was still badly outnumbered. I wasn't sure if even a SOLDIER could hold out against odds like that for long. As I drew my gun, I looked at Wedge.

"That's the SOLDIER that went to help Aerith, right?" I said. "The one you told me about? We've gotta help him!"

Wedge nodded. "Right! Come on!"

He had retrieved his own weapon earlier, and while he sprayed the grunts with lead and fire, I focused on the monodrives, taking out two of them with a few quick shots before the others even realized we were there. The other two were trickier, though. Once they detected us, they darted about back and forth, making it harder for me to aim. I dove to the side when they started shooting bursts of flame at me, but I still got a little singed. I came up shooting, though, catching one of those pesky things as I did. It blew apart a second later.

When I went to fire at the last one, though, all I got was a bunch of clicks as the chamber went empty. I was out of ammo, and that was my last clip. I had left home in such a hurry that I hadn't brought as much with me as I should have. After holstering my gun—Jessie had modded it for me after we'd first met a few years ago, giving it a bigger magazine capacity and a faster rate of fire, so I didn't want to lose it—I raised my fists and braced myself to fight up close.

Biggs had taught me the basics over the years, and I'd done a lot of practicing on my own as well. I knew I couldn't hold a candle to Tifa or Jessie, but I wasn't helpless, either. I'd taken out wererats and hedgehog pies before as part of Sector 5's neighborhood watch. And I knew that I could hold my own. When the last monodrive swooped down at me, I slammed it with a few quick punches that sent it flying across the yard and into the ground in a smoking heap.

By then, Wedge had dispatched half the grunts, and the SOLDIER was holding his own against the rest of the Shinra troops—looked like he'd taken down two more. That still left four more, though. Blue bolts of energy flew past me as one of the remaining grunts fired at me, but I dove aside just in time. When it swiped its claws at me, I ducked under the reach of its arms and hit it in the jaw with a rising uppercut. It flew onto its back and didn't get up.

I had barely taken a single step when suddenly I lurched backward as somebody grabbed me from behind, and before I knew it, there was a rifle being pressed against my throat. I thrashed and tried to cry out, but I couldn't breathe. Whoever it was was trying to choke me. I fought to pull the gun off me, but the guy's grip was like iron.

" _Lena!"_ I heard Wedge yell.

Spots swam in front of me, and I was starting to feel faint. With the last of my strength, I drove my elbow as hard into the soldier's stomach as I could. He groaned, his grip loosening just a little, and then I heard a roar that sounded like Wedge. The next thing I knew, the soldier was torn off me, the gun flying away, and suddenly I could breathe again. I gasped, sinking to my hands and knees, and took in the air in big gulps as I saw Wedge pouncing on the guy.

"You!" I snarled, recognizing the soldier. "You were at the gate! You nearly got us all killed, you bastard!"

He glared at me as he fought. "No one crosses me!"

I'd barely straightened up when I heard another soldier coming for me, but this time I was ready. I spun around and kicked him square in the chest, and he staggered backward just in time to get hit with a blast of cold from the SOLDIER in purple. Then I went to help Wedge, who was still struggling with that idiot who had refused to open the gate to let everyone out. I was smaller than him, but Wedge was doing a good job keeping him distracted.

They were rolling in the dirt, punching and grabbing at each other, and when the soldier managed to get on top, I rushed in and drove my foot into his side in a short, sharp kick to his ribs. He flew off of Wedge and crashed to the ground a few feet away near his rifle. I ran toward it to kick it away, but he got to it first, grabbed it, and spun around with a grin on his face as he got to his feet and aimed it at me. I froze, my eyes on the barrel not two feet away.

"No one disobeys my orders!" he snarled. "I—"

He never finished, because a sizzling orange fireball suddenly tore into him from the side, throwing him across the street into the flaming wreck of what had once been a shop. The soldier crashed right through the broken wall with a startled shout that was abruptly cut off when he hit the ground hard and collapsed.

I turned to see the SOLDIER in purple lowering his arm as Wedge got up. While we'd been busy fighting the guy from the gate, our friend had taken care of the rest. He hurried over to us, concern on his face as he shouldered his sword. I saw he had a few cuts and scratches on him, and there was a bloody splotch on his right side.

"You okay?" he asked us.

I nodded. "We're fine, but… what about you?"

He smiled, waving off my worry. "Took a shot or two, but they just grazed me. It's nothing serious."

"Here," I took a potion from my pocket.

The SOLDIER looked at me. "You sure? Looks like you've got a few scrapes there yourself."

I nodded. "Call it a thank you. For saving my life."

"Anytime," he said, taking the potion. "You helped me, too."

Wedge joined us. "Couldn't let you handle all those guys alone. Oh, and by the way, Aerith managed to escape. She and Marlene oughta be in Sector 5 by now. Thought you'd wanna know."

"Thanks," the SOLDIER said. "It's Wedge, right?"

"Yeah, and this is Lena," he introduced us.

The SOLDIER drank the potion I'd given him. "Good to meet you. Name's Kunsel. What are you still doing here?"

I looked at Wedge. "We're… looking for someone."

"Need any help?" Kunsel asked.

"No, we're good," Wedge shook his head. "It's not too far from here. But thanks anyway. You should get going."

He nodded. "Alright. You two better hurry."

I smiled. "We will. Good luck!"

"Oh, I almost forgot," Kunsel said. "There's a tunnel right down the street. It leads all the way to Sector 6, so if you can't get back to the gate after you find your friend, then head over there."

"Will do!" I promised.

Kunsel waved. "Thanks again for the backup."

I lifted my hand. "Anytime. I—"

The whirring sound of a helicopter suddenly cut me off, and we all looked to see one slowly descending not too far away, the wind from its rotors blowing around us and ruffling our clothes and hair. I narrowed my eyes when I saw the Shinra logo. Once the chopper had landed, the pilot opened his door and stepped outside.

I stiffened right away when I saw the dark blue suit. He was a Turk, bald and bearded, with a pair of black sunglasses over his eyes. And his co-pilot was also a Turk. I looked past Baldy to see the other guy sitting in the chopper watching us coldly. His hair was long and black. Kunsel moved in front of us, drawing his sword, but we weren't gonna let him fight alone. Wedge and I stood by him.

* * *

Barret was yelling and firing at the Shinra chopper when we finally got to the platform. It let loose with a stream of bullets as it swept past, and I ducked behind a line of cylindrical power generators for cover as Cloud did the same, Jessie held firmly in his arms. She was injured but alive, and I intended for her to stay that way. Cloud had saved her, just as I'd known he would, and now all that was left was to take her over to the control console and buy her enough time to shut it down. It wasn't gonna be easy, but we'd get it done.

"Tifa!?" Barret shouted, only half-turning as he kept firing. "Damn am I glad to see ya, but you better get your ass behind cover! Chopper's gonna chew you up, girl!"

I stood with my back against the generators. "Loud n' clear, Barret! We're more than ready for it!"

He paused. "You got Spike with ya?"

"Yeah," Cloud said. "Sounds like you're still kicking."

"Damn right! I ain't dyin' that easy! Leadin' man's gotta stay 'till the end. Right up 'till the credits roll."

Cloud didn't miss a beat. "I intend to."

Barret snickered. "Smartass…"

"Looks like the chopper's moving away," I said.

It flew just out of range and started circling around the pillar. Some of Barret's shots had come pretty close, and I saw that a few had nicked the chopper's hull. Shinra was probably regrouping, but they'd be back soon. And we had to be ready. They were sure to try getting over to the console soon, maybe on their next pass.

"Yeah," Barret agreed. "They come an' go. You run into Jessie down there? Thought you was her at first."

I swallowed. "Yeah, we found her. She…"

He finally turned around to look at us, and when he saw Jessie, his jaw fell open and he hurried over to see her. "Jessie! Goddamn! What'd them Shinra bastards do to ya!?"

"Had me a… little disagreement with a chopper…" Jessie said. "But I took it out. Almost… did me in, though. Cloud… saved me. Right in the nick of… time. He really is… my hero."

Barret took her hand. "We gonna get you outta this, girl. You hear? That's a promise. Jus' leave it to us."

Jessie smiled. "Thanks. Told ya I'd… catch up."

"That you did, Jessie," he said.

"Although… this wasn't exactly… what I had I mind." she smirked. "But I got 'em, Barret. I… got 'em all."

He grinned. "Never doubted it, girl. You done good."

"Barret, I…" Jessie started.

"I know," he said. "We'll talk later, awright? Got some things I need to tell ya. But we got work to do now."

She nodded. "Yeah. We do. Let's… get it done."

"Chopper's coming back," Cloud said, gazing past us.

Barret and I turned to see it flying straight for the platform, rotors whirring as it flew closer. My eyes narrowed, and after we exchanged a determined nod, we hurried toward the console. It was built right into the pillar itself—a large, flat monitor with a wide control panel below it and a forest of cables and pipes connected to it. Above it, the immense bulk of the upper pillar rose all the way to the plate.

Then I knew what the two men Barret and I had seen climbing up here early this afternoon had been doing. They must've reprogrammed the console and set up the detonator so the Turks could trigger it later. My fists clenched at the thought of it as I rushed across the platform. It wasn't gonna happen. I wouldn't let it. The chopper hovered next to the platform, and the co-pilot's door slid open.

"Here he comes," I said.

A man in a dark blue suit leaped out of the chopper and landed on the other side of the platform. He had bright red hair in a thin tail, and his shirt and jacket were unbuttoned at the top. He watched us with icy blue eyes below his dark goggles, and he had a steel nightstick grasped in one hand. At first, he just stood there and sneered at us as we ran for the console. We'd surely get there before he did.

But then there was a flash of pale blue light around him. He moved so fast I barely saw him. One moment he was standing by the chopper, utterly nonchalant. And in the next, he was at the console, just a blur of motion cutting across our path. We all stopped short as he quickly put in a series of commands, his fingers tapping the keys one after another as the display lit up, black with flashing red letters. But then, the screen flickered, going in and out as static swept across it and the text became a garbled and distorted mess.

"The hell's this shit?" Reno swore. "Interference? What jerk's stupid enough to try jammin' us?"

"Havin' a little trouble there?" Barret quipped.

He glared at him. "Only be a second, pops! Just sit tight!"

I didn't know who or what was messing up Reno's attempts to turn on the detonator, but I didn't care. It was helping us, and that was what mattered. His hands flew over the control panel, but whatever he tried to do didn't seem to be helping. The monitor flashed and blinked like a slideshow gone mad as text flew across it.

"Shit…" Reno said to himself. "Nothin's ever easy, is it?"

"You!" Cloud blinked.

"Oh, right," the Turk snickered. "If it isn't Mr. First Class himself. I remember you. First Class asshole…"

Barret whipped up his gun-arm. "Step away! Now!"

The Turk scoffed. "Or what, big boy?"

Barret growled and fired, but the Turk moved way too fast, darting up to him, smacking him across the shoulder with his nightstick, then flitting back to the console in less than a heartbeat. How could we beat a guy like that? How could we possibly keep up with him? There had to be a way, but I had no idea what it could be.

"Stand still!" Barret snarled.

"Get in my way and I'll run you the hell over, _bitch!"_ the Turk shot back. "Reno of the Turks don't stop for no one!"

Then he took something out of his suit pocket and slapped it onto the console. It looked like a device of some kind. Small, squarish, black metal. The end lit up with a red light, and then Reno tapped several of the keys in quick succession before we could stop him. At first, nothing happened, but a moment later, the monitor cleared up and returned to normal. I gasped in dismay as he laughed, slipped his little device back into his pocket, and input more commands. Then an automated female voice spoke as the words appeared on screen.

" _Authorization code accepted. Detonation sequence armed. Awaiting final confirmation to engage."_

"Yeah, yeah…" the Turk muttered. "I'm comin', baby."

I started toward him. "You can't!"

He glanced at us. "Too late, sister. One touch of a button and that'll be all she wrote. Fireworks time. Someone thought they'd be clever and try to frag the system, but they don't know the Turks very well. We ain't just pretty faces. And we come prepared."

Cloud gently set Jessie down. "Wait here. We'll handle this."

"Be careful," she said.

"Always am," he smirked, drawing his sword.

Reno snickered. "Still bein' the hero, Mr. First Class? Guess I'll just have to put a stop to that."

"Try it," Cloud challenged, glaring at him.

As the chopper lifted off, I raised my fists, ready to kick Reno's ass right off the platform. Cloud and Barret were at my side, and we didn't back down as Reno flicked a switch on his nightstick and brandished it with a flair. It hummed with electricity, and while I knew this would be a tough fight, I pushed my doubts away and focused on what we had to do. This was a battle I intended to win.


	50. FORTY-NINE

## FORTY-NINE

I narrowed my eyes while Rude flexed his fists. "Guess you're here to keep me from getting to the pillar in time."

"It's my job," he said.

"I've heard that before," I said, hefting my sword.

Rude's face had all the expression of a piece of rock as I faced him. On either side of me, Wedge and Lena stood ready. They'd done pretty well helping me against those troops and mechs earlier, but a Turk was something else. Still, I appreciated the backup. Lena glared at Rude, her own fists up, while Wedge gripped his large assault weapon, some kind of combined rifle and flamethrower. He looked a little battered, but he didn't waver as Rude advanced on us.

He lunged at me, but I got my sword up just in time to block as his fist struck the flat of the blade. Lena pummeled him from one side as I spun around and caught him with the butt end of the hilt on the other. Rude staggered back just in time to get singed by Wedge. I pressed the attack, cutting at him and catching him across the shoulder while Lena drove a few more punches into his stomach.

Rude struck at Wedge next, hitting him with a right cross before he could fire, and he tumbled backward into the dirt with a pained groan. Lena and I closed in on Rude, but he whipped his other arm at me in a swift backhand punch that smashed me in the chest. I slid backwards a little but stayed on my feet as Lena took advantage of his distraction to drive her foot solidly into his back.

A low grunt was all the sound he made, but instead of trying to hit Lena back, he backed away and laid into me again, fists flying. But this time I was ready, blocking the first few hits and dodging the rest. As he went past me, carried forward by his momentum, I quickly chilled him out with a shot of ice from my materia.

Lena tried to follow up with a punch to the face, but Rude grabbed her arm and thrust some sort of vial at her with his other hand. Almost at once, she slumped over and collapsed. Wedge roared and shot it out of his hand while I drove Rude back with several quick slashes. I didn't hit him, but the attack did force him away.

"Lena, wake up!" Wedge tugged on her shoulder.

She stirred. "Huh?"

I glanced at her as I traded blows with Rude. "Some kinda sleeping gas. He got you with it back there."

"Ugh, what a cheater!" she muttered.

"He's a Turk," I grimaced. "They don't fight fair."

Wedge helped her up. "Yeah, but we can still beat him!"

Lena's hazel eyes burned. "Damn right we can! Let's show him just what Avalanche is made of!"

She sprang at Rude in a flash, driving her fists hard into his ribs as I slashed at him again and again, scoring a few small hits. Wedge sent a blast of flame at him from his gun, forcing him to back away in a hurry to avoid getting torched. But doing so sent Rude off balance, and while I kept the pressure on with my sword, Lena nailed him with a string of quick punches ending with a high kick to the face that shattered one of the lenses of his dark sunglasses.

Rude stepped back for a moment. "Those aren't cheap."

He took off his broken shades and tossed them aside. After that, he reached into his jacket, took out another pair, opened them with a flick of his wrist, and put them on. Then he flexed his gloved fists, obviously ready for more as Tseng watched silently from the chopper. He glanced over his shoulder for a moment, but there weren't any windows on the side so I couldn't see who he was talking to. Then his gaze went back to us as Rude made a beckoning motion to me.

I twirled my sword. "Bring it!"

* * *

"Heard you gave Rude a beating," Reno said.

I smirked. "Kicked his ass, yeah."

He snickered. "Guess I got no choice but to kick yours, then. Don't mean I can't enjoy it, though."

"See if you enjoy _this!"_ Tifa shot back.

She lunged forward before she'd even finished talking, letting loose with a flurry of punches and kicks before Reno even knew that she was moving. He staggered back under her assault at first, then blocked with his nightstick after her first few blows had nicely screwed up his pretty boy looks. Tifa and Reno stayed in a deadlock for a moment, but then I came swinging in, driving him back and smacking him right across the face with the flat of Buster's wide blade.

As the chopper rose up in the air, Reno shook off the blow, snarled, and darted past me in a flash, driving his nightstick down and causing an eruption of fire where it struck the platform. The blast tossed me up into the air, but I flipped into a somersault and came down on my feet. Tifa went at him again while Barret fired at the chopper, which looked to be coming around for an attack run.

"Heads up, guys!" I yelled.

Running across the platform to where I'd left Jessie near the power generators, I dove, grabbed her, and rolled over to shield her as gunfire ripped across the area. I saw to my relief that both Tifa and Barret had also taken cover. Oddly, Reno hadn't seized the opportunity to get back to the console and confirm the detonation sequence. He had backed up as the chopper had flown overhead and waited for us to come back out instead. Didn't make any sense to me.

"You okay?" I asked Jessie as I got up.

She nodded. "Yeah. Go… take care of Reno. Keep him busy, Cloud. I'm… going for the… console."

I helped her sit up. "You sure you can get there?"

"Try to stop me," Jessie winked, giving me a thumbs up.

"Good luck," I told her.

She nodded. "You too, SOLDIER boy."

I took her hand, clasped it for a moment, and nodded back. Then I let go and went back to the fight. Tifa was going after Reno relentlessly, not letting up for a second as he darted across the area. Her fists were a blur of motion as she spun, ducked, and flipped again and again, and at the same time, Barret took shots at the helicopter whenever it flew into range. When it wasn't, he chased Reno with bullets.

I rushed in, slashing with Buster again and again. Reno was quick, though, blocking with his nightstick. Sparks flashed with every hit, but I didn't let up. Neither did Tifa, who came in from the other side. Reno moved fast, but he couldn't fend us both off for long, and we knew it. I mixed in a few blasts of lighting to keep him off balance while Tifa got the hint and added some ice as well.

As we fought, I noticed Jessie making her way to the console a little at a time, using her good arm to pull herself along the platform. It was slow going, and I knew she'd need time to get there. Lucky for us, Reno hadn't seen her yet. I intended to keep it that way.

Then the chopper flew in for another pass, but this time Barret was ready. He shot it in the fuel line just before it would've opened fire, and as bullets tore into the engine, it started to explode. Smoke poured out from it as it soared past us, and then it suddenly blew apart in a blazing inferno. The flaming hunk of metal plunged out of sight to crash down on the ground somewhere far below us.

"Ah, hell…" Reno muttered. "Guess it's time for backup."

* * *

Baldy laid into Kunsel again with his gloved fists but only got a few glancing hits in. The sword deflected the rest while I came in from the side with a furry of punches and Wedge clipped him with his gun. The guy stumbled back but stayed on his feet. Kunsel didn't let up, slashing again and again in a blur of motion that kept Baldy on the move or else risk being sliced wide open.

"Didn't know you could dance, Rude!" Kunsel taunted.

Rude didn't reply, but I couldn't resist getting in a dig of my own. "I could do better moves in my sleep!"

Then I laid into him with a quick chain of punches and kicks while Kunsel gave him some chin music with a blast of fire magic and Wedge added a bit of his own from his flamethrower. Rude grunted, then went after Kunsel even though I was a lot closer to him. As I spun around to catch Rude from the back, I realized he hadn't gone after me at all aside from using the sleep gas on me. Did he not like hurting girls? Maybe I could use that to our advantage. I tugged on my black leather gloves as the beginnings of an idea formed in my mind.

If he wasn't going to retaliate against me, then I could be aggressive and not worry about getting hit in return. I didn't really know if Wedge had caught on yet, but Kunsel surely had. When I held up a finger and pointed at Rude from behind him, he smirked and nodded, getting the message. If the boys could keep Baldy distracted and focused on them, I could cause some real pain in the meantime.

Rude shoved Wedge back with several hard punches to the gut and face, and I saw red. I jumped on Baldy with a yell, pounding him again and again and sinking my teeth into the back of his neck while Kunsel drove the hilt of his sword into his face. Then I leaped off, doing a little backflip and slamming Rude with my feet in the middle of it. My boots hit him squarely in the back and sent him stumbling forward as Wedge singed him with another shot of fire.

As soon as I landed, I went right back in, throwing my fists at Rude in a blur as he turned around. He blocked some of my punches but not all of them, and as I unloaded on him and the guys kept him off guard with their own attacks, I drew my gun, gave it a quick little toss, caught it by the barrel, and pistol-whipped Rude right across the face with the handle. He groaned and staggered to one knee.

"It's over, Baldy," I told him.

Just then, there was a sudden blast of thunder, and we all looked to see one of the other Shinra choppers explode near the top of the pillar. It came crashing down in the outskirts in a haze of fire and smoke. The last one had gone down earlier—I'd noticed it crashing into the side of the pillar and blowing up, and I hoped Tifa and the others were alright. It did mean there was only one left, though.

Kunsel knew it, too. "You're almost outta birds, Rude. Things don't seem to be going your way."

"Rude," the other Turk called. "Time to go."

"Understood," he said.

Slowly standing up, Rude brushed himself off and went back to the chopper. He settled into the pilot's seat and closed the door, and then a moment later, the bird lifted off. We watched as it flew back toward the pillar, heading toward the platform where our friends had to be. It was just too far away. By the time we'd have gotten there and climbed to the top, the battle would've been long over.

"Damn…" Kunsel swore. He knew it as well as I did.

Wedge sighed. "Sure we can't help the others?"

He shook his head. "Too far away and not enough time. Not even a SOLDIER can climb fifteen stories that fast. Best thing for you guys to do now is find your friend and get outta here. I've got one of my own I need to get back to as well. We've done all we can."

We were all battered and hurting, the guys more than me, but still, I knew I'd still have gone up there to help the others if there'd been any chance that we could reach them in time. But there wasn't. As we stood there and watched, we saw that the chopper was already hovering near the platform. Getting back to the pillar and running up all those flights of stairs—if they were still intact, which wasn't likely—would take way too long. I hated it but couldn't deny it. I thought of our friends, of Tifa and Barret, of Jessie and Cloud.

"Good luck, guys…" I murmured. "Be safe."

* * *

Another chopper arrived less than thirty seconds after the first one had gone down. This one didn't attack, though. Instead, it landed along the far side of the platform. I narrowed my eyes when I saw who was in the pilot's chair, but I wasn't surprised. Rude pushed open the door and jumped down to the platform while Tifa, Barret, and I eyed him warily. I kept Buster raised and ready.

"Hey, partner," Reno said. "Glad you made it."

Rude fell in beside him. "Got hung up."

Reno laughed. "Beat up, more like. You look like shit, pal."

"You're one to talk," Rude smirked.

Neither of the Turks looked good. Both of them were bloodied and bruised, Reno more than Rude. We'd given him a good thrashing, but it looked like someone else had done the same to Rude. Whoever it was, they'd done us a favor. It didn't seem like either of them had much of a fight left in them. That would definitely help us.

Reno chuckled. "Guess I can't really argue with ya. We got us some stubborn little shitbirds here."

"Walk away," I told them. "While you still can."

"No," Rude said.

Reno hefted his nightstick. "Let's teach 'em the Turks two-step! We ain't done just yet, Mr. First Class!"

Barret snorted. "Confident, ain't we?"

"You want more pain, we've got it for ya!" Tifa added.

"Let's dance, asshole," I beckoned to Reno.

He snarled and lunged at me with his nightstick, which was exactly what I'd intended. Jessie hadn't reached the console just yet—I saw her out of the corner of my eye—but she was getting close. Just had to keep the Turks distracted for a little longer. Tifa sprang at Rude while Barret chased both him and Reno with gunfire. I easily blocked Reno's swings before shoving him back and slashing at him.

Tifa slammed Rude with a blazing shower of punches and kicks as she quickly closed in on him, sending him reeling backward. He didn't attack her, though, but simply tried to avoid her. Didn't do a very good job of it as she kept up the pressure and made his face look like a piece of raw meat. Barret followed it up with a blast of fire from his materia, searing Rude and keeping him off balance.

At the same time, I cut at Reno, driving him across the platform as much as I could. He deflected a lot of my attacks, but that didn't matter to me. The point was to keep him away from the console for as long as I could. I mixed in a few shots of lightning with slashes from Buster as I fought, and at first, I thought I had him. But then, when he suddenly spun away from me, he saw Jessie.

"Oh, no, you don't!" he snarled. "Sneaky bitch!"

I swept Buster out and across, and it sparked against his nightstick as I stared him down. "Touch her and die."

Reno growled, then sped over to the console in a flash of pale blue energy. I ran after him as the others turned to see what was happening, and though Tifa tried to stop him, she was too far away, and he moved too fast for Barret to get a shot at him. But although Reno got there just before Jessie, he stopped, his hand hovering over the control panel and the button that would set off the bomb.

"Wait…" Jessie said. "Reno, listen to me…"

He looked at her. "Huh?"

Jessie was almost to the console, gazing thoughtfully at him as she propped herself up with her good arm. "I know you don't… wanna do this. As fast as… you can move… you could've set it off… half a dozen times… by now. You know… I'm right."

"The hell do you know about me?" Reno asked.

"Don't you remember?" she said.

He blinked in recognition. "You're that actress chick…"

"That… that's right," Jessie said. She winced in pain, but her brown eyes never left him. "You helped me once. A long… time ago. Over two years. I was… trying to get off… the plate. Almost made it, but… then you two showed up. You… had me trapped."

Rude walked over to join Reno. "I remember."

Jessie went on. "You could've… easily caught me and… turned me over… to my father. But… you didn't. You let me go. Because you both knew… what he'd do to me. He'd have… had me killed. And I've never forgotten… how you saved me… that night."

"So just what are you sayin', sister?" Reno asked.

"I need you… to help me again," she urged him. "Don't go through with this. If you do… a lot of innocent people… will die. Including me. And I don't think… you want that… on your conscience, Reno. Please, help me. A job's one thing, but this… this is too much."

Reno gazed at her and the console as its voice continued to ask for final confirmation. At first, his hand didn't budge, and we all waited to see what he'd do. But then, he glanced over at his partner. Rude nodded back, and then Reno looked down at the flashing button. He closed his eyes for a moment before slowly lowering his arm.

"Screw this shit…" he sighed.

"Reno!" a man's voice snapped like a whip from inside the chopper. Another Turk, sitting in the co-pilot's seat. "You have your orders! Just what do you think you're doing!?"

Reno grimaced. "You wanna drop this thing, Tseng? Do it yourself. I ain't havin' any part of this bullshit."

"Agreed," Rude added.

Then Reno turned and walked away, Rude supporting him as they headed back over to the chopper. Tseng was fuming, but he didn't stop them. I just looked at Tifa and Barret in wonder, then at Jessie. She was at the console, struggling to pull herself to her feet. Tifa hurried over to her and carefully helped her up. Jessie stopped to catch her breath for a moment, leaning heavily against the control panel, and then quickly set about trying to disarm the detonator.

"Do you know how to stop it?" Tifa asked her.

Jessie smiled. "You bet, Tifa. Just… leave it to me. I can shut this… puppy down… in no time."

Tseng stepped out of the chopper. "Don't bother."

"Why's that?" she asked.

"It's rigged to blow if anyone tries to disarm it," he said.

Jessie smirked. "Well… unfortunately for you, I know how… to get around… your little booby trap. And… I'm proud to announce… that I just did! Wasn't… much of a challenge."

"I'm afraid it won't do you any good," Tseng replied.

"And why's that?" she said.

He stared coldly at her. "Because this console can only be disabled by a Shinra Executive Director."

"You're… forgetting something… Tseng," Jessie laughed. "I used to _be_ one! Youngest… in the company's history, remember? Director… of Systems Operation. And I still… have… _access!"_

With that, her good hand flew over the keys, tapping in commands in a blur of motion as I shared a stunned glance with Tifa and Barret. I had known, as they did, that Jessie had worked for Shinra. But we'd had no idea she'd been so high up in the company ranks. I didn't think that Systems Operation was one of the main divisions, though. More likely a secondary department, probably under Urban Development. But she had still held the rank of Director nevertheless.

With a final tap, Jessie finished entering a long string of letters and numbers into a prompt she'd brought up. Then the button went dark as the red text on the monitor changed to green and the female computer voice spoke the words we all wanted to hear.

" _Emergency override authorization code accepted. Full system access granted. Detonation sequence aborted."_

"You did it, Jessie!" Tifa exclaimed, taking her shoulder.

Oddly, Tseng didn’t seem concerned. “So… we’ve found you at last, Ms. Heidegger. That makes two strays tonight.”

My jaw dropped. Heidegger? As in _General_ Heidegger? She was his daughter? I saw the same wide-eyed surprise on Tifa and Barret's faces as they looked back at me, then Jessie. She glanced at us apologetically, then turned back to the console. Heidegger was President Shinra's right hand and one of the most powerful men in Midgar. As I thought about that, I started to understand why Jessie had been running from him for so long and how she had been driven off the plate. She'd told me a little about it on the way back from Reactor 1.

Whatever she'd discovered about Heidegger while she'd still been at Shinra was damning enough that she'd fled the company and taken on a new name and identity, starting over as an actress. But over time, her father had eventually found her, forcing her away from the life that she must've built up there and everything she had known. Jessie had fled to the slums, where Aerith had helped her begin a new life. Then she had moved to Sector 7 and found Avalanche.

Barret gazed at her. "Jessie… is it true? You his kid?"

"Yeah…" she said. "I am. Jessica Heidegger. That's my… real name. Rasberry's… my mom's maiden name."

"Still real to me," I told her.

Jessie smiled. "Thanks, Cloud. That's… really sweet."

To my surprise, Barret didn't seem angry. Just stunned. "Guess that explains a lotta things."

"She's still our Jessie, though," Tifa insisted.

"Yeah," I nodded. Then I turned to Tseng. "You said two strays. So who's the other one?"

Tseng motioned to the other Turks, and Rude pulled the side door of the chopper open as Reno settled into the co-pilot's chair. When Tifa and I saw who the two Shinra soldiers who'd been inside dragged onto the platform, we both stared in shock.

"Aerith!" Tifa and I gasped.

"I see you know her," Tseng said. "Your activities have brought you into contact with the last of the Ancients, who is now once more in our custody. You have my sincerest gratitude."

I frowned. "What are you gonna do with her?"

He shrugged. "That's for the president to decide. But unfortunately for you, this sector has been condemned."

"Tifa!" Aerith called. "I found Marlene! She's safe!"

Barret's eyes widened. "Wait, what? Marlene? _My_ Marlene?"

One of the guards slapped her. "Shut up!"

"Aerith!" Tifa and I yelled.

Then, Tseng turned back to Jessie. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you, Ms. Heidegger. There's someone who would like speak with you. He's been searching for you for a long time."

Just then, the display on the console changed to show Heidegger in a control room of some kind, probably at the Shinra Building. As soon as she saw him, Jessie scowled, her eyes narrowing as they stared at the screen and her brutal, ruthless father.

"You!" she hissed. "What the hell… do you want!?"

Heidegger laughed coldly. "To finish what I started, girl. For nearly four years, I've chased after you. Now I've finally run you to ground. It doesn't surprise me that you took up with this rabble. But I don't know how you could be happy here in the dirt."

She didn't flinch. "It's not… the things, it's the people. And that's… something you'd never… understand. If this is… about me… then take _me!_ Leave… everyone else… out of it!"

"You think this is just about you?" he scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. Shinra has much bigger goals than simply exterminating a pest. You've been a thorn in my side for far too long, and getting rid of you is just a bonus. But you _have_ been quite a pain tonight."

"Always happy… to ruin your day," Jessie quipped.

Heidegger sneered. "It's not over yet, girl. I suspected you'd make it this far. Did you really believe that I'd leave an operation of this scale to chance? This sector is still doomed!"

She glared at him. "I shut the… damn thing… down!"

"Did you?" he said. "Oh, you disabled it, but I made sure to have a backup system installed as well. One that only _I_ can control. Try as you might, you can't stop it. And your access code won't help you this time. I hope you enjoy your last moments."

" _Damn you!"_ Jessie snarled.

Heidegger leaned forward. "Give my regards to your mother when you see her in hell, Jessica. Where I sent her."

Then the display changed, replaced by a flashing red countdown in large numbers that filled the whole screen as alarms suddenly went off all around us. Five minutes until this place went up. The numbers went down relentlessly as Tifa, Barret, and I stared at them in horror. Jessie's hand flew over the controls as she desperately tried to counteract what her father had done. Then the computer spoke again.

" _Backup systems engaged. Detonation sequence initiated. Total plate separation is imminent. Evacuate immediately."_

"No, no, no!" Tifa shook her head.

"Just run!" Aerith told us. "You have to go now!"

Tseng looked at her. "And just where would that be? You think they can possibly get out in time? It's begun."

He motioned to Rude and the soldiers, and they all went back into the chopper, taking Aerith with them. Then, as the side door slid shut, Reno started the engine, and the chopper rose into the air. It flew away toward Sector 6 and slipped out of sight.

Just then, a loud whine started to build up within the console, and my eyes widened. Jessie was still working furiously at the controls, her face a mask of rage and concentration. The timer continued to descend second by second. Just over three minutes now. Barret backed away as the console's whining intensified.

"Get away, Jessie!" he yelled. "Get back! Now!"

She shook her head. "I can stop this!"

Tifa tugged insistently on her shoulder. "Come on, Jessie! You have to get away from there! Let us help you!"

"Jessie!" I called to her.

"I said I can stop it!" Jessie shrugged off Tifa's grip. "I won't let him win! I won't! I can beat this thing!"

I started toward her. "It's too dangerous!"

Jessie's hand tapped key after key. "I know what I'm doing!"

"But it's gonna—" I argued.

"I can do this!" she snapped. "I told y—"

She never finished. Right when Tifa backed up, a power surge shot through the entire console. Bright blue forks of electricity blew out the controls and swept over Jessie again and again. She screamed, throwing her head back as she was suddenly wracked with spasms and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. It reminded me of how she'd been shot by that slug-ray on the train. Only this was much worse. The shocks went on and on, filling her body with current.

" _Jessie!"_ Tifa and I yelled.

Barret gasped in disbelief. _"_ _No!"_

And then, with less than two minutes left on the clock, the console simply exploded. We all threw our arms up as it blew apart in a blazing orange fireball and thunder filled our ears. Flames seared Jessie's body, and the sheer force of the blast hurled her past us, throwing her all the way across the platform and smashing her into the railing. Jessie fell to the floor and lay still, smoke rising from her skin and clothes, and for a moment, none of us could move.

And then the pillar started to explode.


	51. FIFTY

## FIFTY

"Wedge, look!" I pointed, fear rising in my gut.

His eyes widened. "No…"

We were in front of his house, the cats meowing in his arms, when it happened. The pillar started to explode, pieces at a time at first. And a deafening rumble sounded from overhead as the plate began to come apart, buckling in one place after another. Kunsel had left not too long after the Turks did, and he was probably safely away from here by now. At least, I hoped so. We needed go, too.

But I just couldn't move. Neither could Wedge. We were paralyzed by the sight around us. My heart was pounding as fire started to sweep all across the underside of the plate, a series of loud, thunderclap blasts that lit up the night in an ugly orange glow. It wasn't until huge chunks of what had once been the upper city started to plummet from the steel sky like twisted meteors that I finally snapped back to my senses with a jolt that shook my entire body.

I grabbed Wedge's arm. "Come on! Run!"

We sped down the narrow road and past the long row of makeshift houses on either side. I was ahead of Wedge, but I kept looking back to make sure he stayed with me. He was right behind me, cats in his arms, as he pushed himself as fast as he could. None of the falling debris had gotten near us yet, but I knew that wouldn't last. We had to get the hell outta here. My lungs burned as I ran.

"Tunnel's this way!" I called to him. "Hurry!"

I remembered what Kunsel had told us about the secret passage. It was our only chance, and I didn't think it was that far away. We turned a corner, both of us breathing heavily, and we both shrieked as a chunk of burning cityscape smashed down barely a hundred feet or so behind us. Neither of us dared to look back.

We rushed out onto the main street just seconds later, then made a right and headed the way Kunsel had shown us. I kept my eyes open as we ran, searching for the tunnel entrance, but at first I didn't see it, and I had to force myself to stay calm. Well, as calm as someone could be in a situation like this, anyway. And then I spotted it, a large hole right in the middle of the road only fifty feet away.

I motioned to Wedge. "There it is! Come on!"

We were about halfway there when more pieces of the plate started coming down. Several of them slammed down around us, crushing the nearby buildings. The ground shook with the impact, knocking Wedge and I both off our feet. He cried out as he fell hard on his leg, dropping the cats when he landed. I hurried over and scooped them all up in my arms before they could scatter.

"Wedge, get up!" I yelled, hurrying over to him.

He tried, then winced in pain as his leg gave out beneath him, and he collapsed onto his hands and knees, panting heavily as I stood there in front of him. Wedge tried to crawl, but only managed to go a foot or so before he fell onto his side. His ankle was twisted, and as much as he strained, he couldn't put any weight on it.

I shifted my grip on the cats, then grabbed him with one hand. But try as I might, I couldn't move him. I pulled again and again, with all of the strength I had, but Wedge only managed another foot or so. I'd pull him all the way to the tunnel if I had to.

"Please, you have to move!" I urged him. "Wedge!"

"Lena…" he said, shaking his head.

I stopped. "No… don't you say it, Wedge…"

But he did. "Just go, Lena…"

"No!" I cried, tears sliding down my face. "Don't you _dare_ pull this sacrificial bullshit on me! Don't you dare! You're not gonna die! I won't let you! So get your ass up and move!"

"Don't worry about me," he sighed. "Just take the cats and get outta here. I… can't make it. Promise me that you'll look after them, alright? And if you see Cloud, tell him… I'm sorry I wasn't more help. And that I wish I could've done more…"

How could he possibly think he hadn't done enough? He'd saved so many lives tonight, had fought to protect me and so many others. He'd stood his ground against a Turk and lived. He was a hero to me, even if he didn't really look the type.

I sank to my knees. "Oh, Wedge… please get up…"

"You know, Lena…" he said. "You're the first girl that ever liked me back. Most others always ignored me, probably 'cause I'm so big. And I don't really look like a good catch."

"They don't know you like I do," I murmured.

He touched my cheek. "And… that's why I love you."

"I love you, too…" I sobbed.

Then I kissed him, my face wet as I held my lips against his. I hated what had happened, and Shinra for causing it. I didn't want to leave my sweet Wedge behind, but I couldn't move him. The tunnel was so close, and yet it might as well have been miles away for him. Eventually, I had to come up for air. My eyes on his, I took a deep breath as he gave me a thumbs up along with that goofy smile that always made my heart skip a beat or two. I had to go, but I didn't want to.

"Bye, Lena…" he said, his eyes wet.

I couldn't stop my tears. "Goodbye, Wedge…"

I started to walk away, but then whirled around when I saw a huge shadow growing on the ground. I looked up to see a burning chunk of debris falling right toward Wedge, a huge shard of metal and concrete. My eyes widened as it came down faster and faster and he looked up to gaze at what was surely his death.

" _Wedge!"_ I screamed.

* * *

"Jessie…" I breathed.

She wasn't moving. She lay on her side by the rail, scorch marks all over her body. Even while Tifa and Barret looked up as the pillar began to blow apart, I couldn't tear my gaze away from Jessie's battered body. Her eyes were closed, and her skin was red and burnt and covered with ash. I still couldn't believe what had just happened. After everything we had gone through, after cheating even fate itself… this just couldn't be. No way. I couldn't lose her, not now.

"Cloud!" Tifa called. "Go get Jessie! The plate's coming down! If we don't find a way out, we're all dead!"

"Gotta be somethin'!" Barret added. "Think!"

I nodded. "Spread out! See what you can find! Now!"

They did, searching around the platform for any way we could get away from here. The stairs were out, we'd never get back to the ground before it was too late. There had to be another way, but what? I decided I'd worry about it once I had Jessie in my arms. It was possible that she was still alive even after everything she'd endured, and I intended to get her outta here along with the rest of us.

But just as I took a few steps toward her, the underside of the plate started to explode, lines of fire racing across it just as I'd seen before in my dreams. Huge chunks of it began to fall one after another across the sector, and then one of them smashed right down onto the platform in front of me, tearing off the edge where Jessie was and taking her down with it into the heart of the growing inferno.

" _Jessie!"_ Tifa screamed.

I froze, watching helplessly with my arm outstretched as Jessie was torn away from me. She was gone, fallen into the nightmarish hell that used to be the Sector 7 slums. I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't. For a moment, I forgot about everything else. All I could see was Jessie. All I could think of was Jessie and how I'd lost her.

"No…" I clenched my fist. "You can't be dead…"

Then Barret took my shoulder. "I ain't arguin' with that, Cloud. But we gotta get outta here now! You ain't gonna be no good to her if ya die up here, so get movin'! We'll come back an' look for Jessie later, soon as we can. Found us a way out, so let's go!"

He was right, and I knew it. "What've you got?"

Tifa pointed to something above what was left of the console. "Zip lines. I think the maintenance workers use them to get off the platform quickly in case of an emergency."

"An' this sure as hell qualifies!" Barret said.

A cluster of black cables was nestled atop the blackened remains of the console, and on each of them was a rectangular device fitted with a set of matching straps. There wasn't time for us to each get one, so Tifa handed one to Barret and we got ready, strapping ourselves in and then heading over to the broken edge of the platform while he held onto the zip line and glanced over his shoulder at us.

"You two ready?" he asked.

Tifa nodded as we grabbed onto him. "Let's do it."

Explosions shattered the pillar behind us as thunder filled our ears. More sections of the plate were coming down now, flames blooming all across it. The steel sky burned, collapsing as the city above slowly sank into the abyss. And in the midst of it, Barret jumped.

* * *

"Lena!" a familiar voice yelled. "Heads up!"

I looked past Wedge. "Kunsel!?"

There he was, speeding toward us on a mint green motorcycle with a shiny chrome undercarriage. He was leaning forward as he drove, his right hand gripping the handlebars while his left was out to the side. At first, I didn't know what he was doing. But then I gasped in amazement and gratitude, fresh tears spilling down my cheeks, as I understood. He was going to save Wedge! I knew it!

Wedge glanced over his shoulder at him, his eyes widening and his mouth falling open as Kunsel got close. Just as the huge chunk of metal and rock was about to crush him, Kunsel drove in and grabbed him as he went past, hauling him toward me and the tunnel with the strength that only a SOLDIER could have. The broken and flaming piece of the plate slammed into the ground with a bang behind them just as Kunsel drove clear, Wedge firmly in his grasp.

I ran the rest of the way to the tunnel, still carrying the cats, as the guys drove up to it. When we got there, Kunsel finally let go of Wedge and stopped the bike for a moment. Then he got off, took a potion out of his pocket, and tossed it to him.

"Here, that should help with your leg," he said.

Wedge caught it and drank it. "Thanks, Kunsel. Doesn't hurt quite so bad now. I think I can limp on it."

Kunsel nodded. "Good. Better get going, then."

"I thought you'd already left," Wedge said, slowly getting to his feet with Kunsel's help. "Not that I'm complaining, of course. I'm really glad you showed up. You saved my life."

"I realized I couldn't leave until I knew you two had gotten out," he said, taking Wedge's shoulder. "Had to come back."

I put the cats down and hugged him. "Oh, Kunsel, thank you!"

He smiled as he let go. "Sure. We're friends, right?"

"Bet your ass we are!" I grinned.

Then I threw my arms around Wedge, holding onto him so tightly I thought that I would never let go. And if our situation hadn't been so grim, I wouldn't have. Then my lips found his, and even with the slums falling apart around us, I couldn't pull away at first. I was just so happy he was alive. When I finally came up for air, I held onto Wedge for just a moment longer before letting go.

"Come on, Wedge," I said, picking up the cats. "Let's go."

"You coming?" he asked Kunsel.

Kunsel shook his head. "The road leading to Sector 6 isn't lost yet. I'll get out that way, don't worry."

"Will we see you again?" I wondered.

"I hope so," he said.

Then I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw a stuffed blue cat sitting on the bike wave at him. "We cannae stay any longer, laddie! It's comin' down real fast now!"

As if to emphasize his point, more bits of debris—including pieces of buildings, severed pipes, chunks of road, and more—began crashing to the ground as the steel sky sank lower and lower amidst a seemingly endless chain of explosions ripping across it.

Wedge's jaw dropped. "Whoa! Did that cat… _talk?"_

"Yeah," Kunsel said, getting on his bike. "I'll tell you it later. Go!"

I waved to him. "Be careful! And thank you again!"

"Anytime," he saluted. "Later!"

Then, as he started to drive away, Wedge and I raced down into the tunnel as fast as we could. It was dimly lit, with earthen walls and pipes along the metal grating that made up the floor. The awful sound of the plate collapse was thankfully muffled in here. I handed Biggamus over to Wedge while keeping Reggie and Smalls. Then, with the cats snugly in our arms, we held hands and hurried down the long, narrow tunnel that would take us to Sector 6.

* * *

Fire was everywhere as I raced through the slums on the Gust and more of plate came apart and fell down all around me. I sped down the road back toward the pillar complex, dodging and swerving the pieces of debris that were crashing down from what was left of the plate. They smashed buildings left and right as I pushed the Gust as hard as I could and Cait held onto me. The bar Aerith and I had found Marlene at was only a flaming wreck now, the sign split in two.

I soon left the undercity itself behind, but things weren't any better in the outskirts. The junk piles were either buried or burning, and I felt my eyes sting with smoke as I drove. The heat pressed in on me, and it made me sweat. My side still hurt, too, but I kept on. I had to get out. I had to escape from this firestorm.

I suddenly spun the Gust to halt when I saw the charred wreckage of one of the Shinra choppers strewn out ahead of me and blocking the way back to the pillar complex. Rubble was everywhere—huge, jagged slabs of it—and there was no way I could get through. This had to have been the helicopter Wedge, Lena, and I had seen go down earlier when we'd been fighting Rude near the bar.

"What do we do, lad?" Cait wondered.

I looked around. "There's gotta be a way we can get to the road. It's not that far from here."

Turning back the way we'd come, I drove back down the road for a short distance, looking for something, anything I could use to find us a way outta here. At first, there was nothing, just piles of burning debris. But then I noticed the high fence that separated the outskirts from the area around the road to Sector 6. All I had to do was get over it. And as I headed toward it, I knew how.

Part of a road from the plate had crashed to the ground here, and it had landed at angle rising crookedly toward the fence. It was broken in places but mostly intact, and I sped the Gust at it. The chunk of ruined highway was littered with dirt and still on fire in places, but it was solid enough for what I needed to do.

"Hang on!" I told Cait.

He did. "I hope ye know what yer doin'!"

I nodded. "So do I!"

Hitting the boosters, I shot right up onto the fallen section of road and raced all the way up to the top where it met the fence, using it as a makeshift ramp to launch myself to the other side. We flew across for a moment, then landed with a jolt in the dirt. Cait squawked at the mild bump but managed to stay on as we sped onto the road. It was burning here, too, but at least we had a clear path to safety. If we could get there in time, that was. But I knew we could.

As we outran the flames and clouds of smoke, dust, and debris still coming down behind us, I thought of Jessie. Had she made it out? Had I made the right choice in trusting Aerith's friends to keep her safe? If I had gone into the pillar instead, maybe she'd be with me now. But there was no way for me to know, and I wasn't going to accomplish anything by second-guessing myself. All I could do was hope Jessie had escaped. But I still couldn't help worrying about her.

"You think she got out, Cait?" I asked as we drove.

He knew who I was talking about. "I hope so, laddie. Jessica's a fine bonnie lass an' as clever as they come. I know ye went ridin' in here tae save her, but she'd not mind ye makin' the choice ye did. Donnae worry aboot it, Kunsel. Ye'll see her again one day."

I hoped he was right, but there wasn't anything I could do about it right now except escape from the devastation of Sector 7. I didn't have any doubt that I would. We had enough speed to stay ahead of the steel sky as it continued to collapse. But once we were out, I knew I couldn't just go on back to Shinra as if nothing had happened. The Turks knew I'd been here and had fought against them.

Through Cait Sith, Reeve already knew a lot of what had happened down here tonight, and he would know as well as I did that Jessie's fate was uncertain. I was sure he'd understand my choice, though, hard as it would be on us both not knowing if she was okay. Jessie was like family to him, and they'd known each other for a long time. At forty-three, he was one of the youngest of Shinra's current directors and had been her boss during her time there years ago.

At any rate, I wouldn't have to go to him for a debriefing, though I did intend to slip in and see him when I could. Reeve deserved to have a firsthand account of what I'd seen and done here. In the meantime, I would have to lay low. My place was out since Shinra knew right where I lived. But there was still somewhere else I could go, one person that I knew would help me. Marissa wouldn't mind taking me in for a while, and I knew she'd want to know about Jessie, too. So I decided to go see her once I got back to the plate.

With the inferno behind me, I raced toward Sector 6.

* * *

Explosions surrounded us, filling our ears as we shot down the zip line. Tifa and I clung to Barret as we wove through the firestorm, blasts everywhere in sight. The heat nearly suffocated us, and huge clouds of ash, flame, and dust chased us the whole way as the plate continued to come apart and collapse behind us.

It took the city above along with it. All of Sector 7, both above and below, had become a fiery wasteland, a hellscape we were still trying to get away from. Jessie was still trapped in that furnace, and as I glanced behind me, I saw the platform and the lower pillar explode as pieces of the plate crashed into it one after another. She was at the center of it all, lost somewhere in the heart of the maelstrom.

As we flew along, I looked forward again, and my eyes slid closed. I thought of Jessie, of the time we'd shared and spent together, and I let those memories fill my mind, let them fuel my determination to come back when this was all over and find her. Because I had every intention of doing that. Of course I was going to save Aerith, too—I wasn't about to let Shinra keep her. But I _had_ to find Jessie.

_She held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Cloud. I'm Jessie."_

" _To new friendships," Jessie toasted, raising her glass._

_She looked at me and smirked. "What's the matter? Never had a cute girl in your arms before?"_

_She winked. "I'd love to chat, and it's so sweet that you'd rather spend time with me than the reactor. But you really should get going. I can wait my turn. Go blow her mind."_

_Jessie stepped closer. "So… what's your fee for a flower? Mercs always wanna get paid, right?"_

" _Is that a smile I spy?" Jessie wagged her finger at me._

" _Thank you," she leaned against me. "If this thing, if it ever did come down, and I was in it, would you still come for me?"_

" _Need me to tuck you in?" she teased._

_Jessie smiled. "How'd you like that, merc?"_

_She thrust her fist into the air. "Let's lay down some rubber!"_

" _WHOO-HOO!"_

_Her eyes lit up as she took the box and began unwrapping it. "Awww, for me? You shouldn't have…"_

" _Would you… like to stay with me again?" she whispered._

_Before_ _starting to move, Jessie leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on my mouth. "Don't hold back, okay? Just let it all out. Rest in me for a while. I'll be your shelter from the storm._ _"_

_Jessie thrust her arms and legs out wide, her head high as we drifted down. "You and me, we can take on the world!"_

_She grinned. "Yeah! And now for the cherry on top!"_

" _It's tearing me up inside, Cloud. What happened with Reactor 1. It was my fault. So many people dead… because of me…"_

" _Am I… am I a bad person, Cloud?"_

_Jessie kissed me. "Make me soar, Cloud. Make me fly. Take me all the way to the promised land."_

_She squeezed me tight for a moment. "So, you gonna take my breath away with your amazing skills?"_

" _I love you, merc," she whispered. "Don't ever forget it."_

" _Oh, here," Jessie reached into her pocket. "Something I'd like you to have. Call it a good luck charm."_

_She held up_ _her arm. "Fist bump on it?"_

_Jessie smirked. "I'd… kick your ass… for scaring me so bad… but I'm not really… feeling up to it… right now. So I think… I'll just… kiss you instead… if you don't mind…"_

" _Me too," Jessie gave me a wry grin. "Guess we beat fate… after all. I kinda like… the sound of that."_

" _My hero. So gentle…" she grinned. "And so cute…"_

The memories washed over me in a heartbeat as Tifa, Barret, and I flew along the zip line, flames and thunder all around us. Ahead of us, Sector 6 grew closer, the wall rising up not too far away. I could almost hear Jessie's voice in my head, see her smile. And I saw that moment on the platform, saw her falling into the fire after she'd been so badly hurt by the trap her father had set for her.

My eyes narrowed at that thought. Heidegger was going to answer for what he'd done today. Not just to Sector 7 and its people, but also to Jessie. Avalanche's fight against Shinra had just become _my_ fight. And I was gonna show them just how dangerous it was to piss me off. Flames swept around us as we raced toward Sector 6, but they weren't as hot as the fierce rage burning inside me.

As I thought of Jessie, of how much she had come to mean to me, I refused to allow myself to believe she was dead. I had cheated fate itself to save her, and that had to mean something. She was my opposite in a lot of ways—outgoing, spunky, and energetic—and had flirted, teased, and loved her way past that tough outer shell I often wore like a second skin. I still didn't quite know how she'd done it.

We were almost to Sector 6, descending as the zip line stretched on down toward its end point, wherever that was. It was quivering amidst the heat and vibrations from the impacts and explosions that were now more behind us than around us. Then, just as we crossed over the wall, the zip line snapped and broke, and we dropped into Evergreen Park as Sector 7 collapsed behind us.

Tifa, Barret, and I slammed hard into the ground, so much that the world started to swim away and I knew we were going to black out. But just before my head sank onto the concrete and darkness overtook me, I had one last thought, a promise I made to myself and to Jessie. A final vow before I slid into unconsciousness.

_I'll find you, Jessie. I swear I will. I'll find you._

* * *

**Here ends BOOK ONE: ARRIVAL.  
The story continues in BOOK TWO: AFTERMATH.**

**Having barely escaped the destruction of Sector 7, Cloud and his friends struggle to come to grips with the loss of their home and so many lives. With one friend missing and another held captive, Cloud resolves to save them both, unaware of the fateful path it will set him on…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is, the end of Book 1! It's been quite a ride, and I'm glad to have gotten this far. Thanks to everyone that's been reading and following this little story of mine, and to all those who took the time to give feedback and insight. It's very much appreciated. There've been lots of twists and turns, and it's not over yet!


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